


When the Ax Falls

by RegalGirl94



Series: Scream [2]
Category: Scream (TV)
Genre: Embedded Images, F/M, Originally Posted on FanFiction.Net
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-24
Updated: 2019-02-24
Packaged: 2019-11-04 17:22:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 16
Words: 85,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17902331
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RegalGirl94/pseuds/RegalGirl94
Summary: Athena Tyler was forever changed after Piper Shaw's murder spree, becoming a killer herself when she shot Piper in the head. Everything around her shifted after that night and she's left dealing with the past that she can't escape, especially when the murders begin again, and she's being targeted in the sick revenge of Piper's alleged partner who wants her dead, but not too soon.





	1. Interlude

**Author's Note:**

> Trailer here;  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTih9tbJFX4

****

**Previously On...**

_It was like a dull claw ripped into her life and tore it to shreds, leaving her with only the aftermath. It was a single moment, one meeting and it was all blown to hell. And suddenly, her life wasn't the same. Athena was starting her senior year off on the worst foot. She knew no one, she was just the new girl, the odd one._

* * *

_Emma and a group of kids walked into the room and she had them come sit next to her, "Hey Athena, these are my friends. This is my boyfriend, Will," she rested her hand delicately on the pale brunette boy's chest briefly before gesturing to a blonde girl with bangs to her eyes, "this is Brooke Maddox." She then pointed to the tan boy with wavy black hair who wore a flirty smile, "That's Jake Fitzgerald."_

_An Asian girl next to him smiled for herself and did a little wave, "I'm Riley—Marra. Our friend Nina is playing hooky today but I'm sure you'll meet her tomorrow."_

_"Nice to meet you all," Athena muttered, going back to her sketching._

* * *

_"Jules Tyler."_

_There was another lull of silence. Branson repeated the name twice more before the new girl in the back raised her hand, startled, "That's me, but, um, I go by Athena."_

* * *

_"Who's Brandon James?"_

_Noah piped in, as a resident expert, "Uh, he killed a bunch of students twenty years ago. He, um... he cut some others up," he pulled out his phone and quickly showed a grainy photo of a deformed boy to them, "This is him. Emma's dad got stabbed. He almost died. Brandon had Proteus syndrome, like the elephant man. People say he was born a monster, but I think he was bullied and beaten into one."_

* * *

_"Oh," Ian realized. "This is Sam. I forgot, you don't know him actually. Sam this is... Athena."_

_He looked at her and she felt for the first time that she was meeting someone who didn't expect anything out of her, and didn't look at her and see someone else entirely. At least, out of all the people who knew who she really was. "It's nice to meet you, Athena," he held out his hand for her._

* * *

_The school was buzzing again, this time about a gruesome suicide by none other than Audrey's partner in the girl on girl video someone posted on the internet. Poor Rachel Murray was the victim of a lot of cyber bullying apparently, and suffered from depression._

* * *

_"I was there," Sam repeated, his face turning down into a serious frown, his face covered in guilt and shame. "I saw the whole thing and I could have done something. I tried – but I failed."_

_Athena blew out a sigh full of air and ran a hand through her hair, "Have you been walking around all this time blaming yourself? Sam, that's ridiculous. You were a kid, what, seven? What the hell were you supposed to do?"_

_"Something!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in the air. "Anything!"_

_"But I forgive you. Not that I ever needed to, but... you can forgive yourself."_

_"I don't think I can, honestly," he confessed._

* * *

_Emma hovered at the front counter in her uniform while Audrey and Athena stood at the other side. "At first, I thought it was just some loser playing with his new voice changer app on his phone," Emma explained. "But he won't leave me alone."_

* * *

_Just behind her, Noah and Audrey arrived just as the EMTs were wheeling out a black body bag on a gurney. Noah looked at the body bag, "Is that Riley?"_

* * *

_Elena pressed her lips to Athena's, both their eyes closing. Athena froze briefly, not understanding what the hell was going on. But Elena's lips were insistent against hers. She pulled away, blinking her eyes open to Elena's confused face. "What are you doing?"_

_"Oh my god, I'm so sorry," Elena babbled, blushing deep red. "I thought you were... I mean..."_

_"I am," Athena cut her off, her lips pursed. "But why are you doing this? I'm not okay with being someone's experiment."_

_"I like you," Elena whispered, blushing deeper. "It's the first time I've liked a girl, and I'm a little confused. But it's not an experiment."_

* * *

_Athena looked up, seeing all three of them looking at her, and sighed, "Look, I've gotten things in my room. Just a couple..."_

_"What were they?" Noah asked eagerly, earning another jab from Audrey._

_"Well, after my first day here, there was a note in my room asking if my name was Jules or Athena and that my secret would come out," she explained. "Then today I got a package – a wooden heart with the word 'UNKOWN' carved into it."_

_"The truth lies where the mask was made," Noah read the wording around Emma's dad's photo, then looked at Athena. "Mr. Branson called you Jules on the roll sheet that first day. What secret is the killer talking about?"_

_"I wasn't born Athena Tyler," she revealed to them. "Until about a month ago, I thought my name was Athena Contos. I thought my parents were Alonzo and Gretchen Contos."_

_"You thought?" Audrey questioned._

_Athena nodded, "...a lady cop comes in to tell me that my parents aren't my parents."_

_"They weren't your parents?" Emma asked. "Who were they then?"_

_"My kidnappers," Athena breathed._

_Emma gasped and she, Audrey and Noah all looked at each other before looking back at her. Noah gaped, "Kidnappers? Oh, my god."_

_Athena nodded, "Yeah. Apparently they couldn't have children of their own, and adoptions had fallen through last minute three times in a row. They lost hope. And they lost it. So, they came to a random town – Lakewood – and picked up a baby at the park. I was three years old. There was no trace of me after that. Until I started applying for jobs with a dummy social security number. Then the police found me, arrested my dad – I mean, Alonzo – and returned me to my real family. Biologically, Diana and Till are my parents, Ian and Lana are my siblings."_

* * *

_"Talk to us, Athena. Tell us what's bother you. Be honest – for once," Diana plead._

_"Honest?" Athena laughed sarcastically. "You want to measure up honesty here, Diana? Fine, why did you never tell anyone that you knew my mother?" She cut herself off, letting out another scoffing laugh, "Sorry – my kidnapper."_

_Diana gaped as all eyes turned to her. Ian asked with narrowed eyes, "What?"_

_"Yeah, tell 'em Diana," Athena spat. "You knew Gretchen. She lived here, in Lakeview. She went to your school, she was in your class. All this time, you knew who she was. At least since she was named as my kidnapper when I was found. So, how come you held back?"_

_"I – I," Diana stuttered._

_"It's true?" Till asked, stepping away from Diana to look at her. "You knew Gretchen Contos?"_

_"She was Gretchen Linda back then," Athena corrected, "but yeah, you knew her, Diana. Were you friends with her? Did you ever suspect that she was the one who had me? All these years?"_

_"I didn't know she took you," Diana spoke as if she was gasping for air, as if there wasn't enough around her. "God, if I did, I would've-"_

_"You would've what?" Athena cut her off. "Would have spoken up? Is this why you can't even acknowledge what happened? The reason you just try to ignore the glaring elephant in the room when you and I are around each other? Pretend it's not there? Because you feel guilty."_

_Diana didn't say anything, looking down at the ground._

_"That's just great," Athena muttered. "Well, I'm done with it. I'm done trying to tip toe in this house because I feel like a stranger. I'm done trying to tip toe around you because you want me to be someone I'm not. You don't know anything about me – my favorite color, where I want to go to college, what I like to do. Because you don't care to ask. Because you don't want me to stray from who you envisioned Jules would be if she was still here. Well, tough shit, Diana. I'm Athena, not Jules. And nothing you do is going to change that." With that rant finally dragged from her throat and lungs, she twisted on her heel and raced up the stairs, slamming her bedroom door._

* * *

_Athena patted Emma's back, "Everyone has their stuff. As long as they're honest about the important stuff, none of that matters. I'm here for you."_

_Emma nodded into her shoulder and pulled back a little, "Yeah, you're right." Her face fell a little as she stared at Athena. She tentatively tilted her head and leaned forward, pressing her lips to hers. It was chaste and slow and all around nice._

_Athena let Emma kiss her until she was ready to pull back and then asked, "What are you doing, Emma?"_

_"I'm—I'm sorry," Emma blushed, dipping her head._

_Athena gently smiled and cupped Emma's face to pull her up to look at her, "Don't be sorry. Don't be confused. This isn't the time, place or person for you Emma, and I think you know that. It's okay to have your moments, but I'm telling you right now that I'm not this person for you. I'm your friend."_

_"I know," Emma breathed, nodding emphatically. "I just wanted to feel close to someone I can trust."_

_"We can be close without being close," Athena teased her, pecking her lips a little to emphasize her point. "Don't worry, Emma. Everything going on right now will be a memory eventually. This guy will mess up – they all do at some point. In the meantime, I'm here for you, and we'll figure this all out together."_

_"Thank you," she repeated, going for another hug._

_Athena just hugged her, hoping to bits that what she had said would turn out to be true._

* * *

_Sam looked down at her, also noticing how close they were, and feeling like the ground could swallow him whole any minute if he didn't do something about it. So, he did. He leaned down, slowly, almost daring himself to do it, or waiting for her to turn her head or grimace and tell him to stop. But she didn't, she just kept looking up at him. They could both feel themselves holding their breath as they got closer until finally, their lips descended on each other's._

_Athena had never had a fireworks moment, but this certainly was one. She felt tingles in her stomach as his large arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her close to him. She couldn't believe that this was happening. She weaved her arms around his waist and huddled closer, letting their tongues slid against each other._

* * *

_Emma and Athena came to a halt when they got through the barn, seeing Will tied up to a chair with tape on his mouth, struggling against his bound hands. There was a large machine behind him, with sharp blades rotating just above his head. Emma gasped, "Will!"_

_She went to run forward to help him but Athena grabbed her arm and stopped her, "Emma! Stop, remember he said that it's what you're gonna do. He wanted you to run."_

_"What are you talking about?" Emma shrieked. "We have to get him out."_

_Will was trying to scream in his bounds, shaking his head vehemently._

_"No," Athena insisted. "Remember what Noah said – he's trying to make the deaths your fault. All of them. Riley – he made you choose out of us. Will – he made you search for him. Now, he has to have another way to pin this on you somehow, just stop – don't move."_

_Athena looked over at the machine, seeing gears behind him with a string tied to one of them. She knew this was a trap. That was the killer's MO. She tried to follow the string but it disappeared under the grass. "Emma, stay here. Call the police. I'll figure this out."_

_Emma was crying and bringing her phone to her ear, rapidly talking to the Sheriff over the line, "Yeah, he—he went after Will again. We're at the Belmont farm, just get here please—please."_

_Athena took careful slow steps, dragging her feet in case it was a land mine kind of trap, but eventually she encountered a string parallel to the ground. She took a large step above it and felt safe enough to run to Will and bend down behind him, untying his hands. As he went to stand, she saw his head get close to the blades and yanked on his hand off to the side so he was away from the machine._

_"Will!" Emma cried out as the boy ripped the tape from his mouth. She ran forward, tripping over the string. The blades of the machine went down, annihilating the chair into pieces._

_Emma reached Will's side and gazes at the broken chair, "That would have killed you if I had kept running."_

_"It didn't," Will assured her, looking over at Athena. "I guess that's twice now that you've saved my life?"_

_"Who's counting, pretty boy?" Athena joked._

* * *

_"You just couldn't help yourself, could you?" a deep techno, gravely voice answered her, chilling her bones. "You little, meddlesome bitch. You ruined everything!"_

_"I think I'm okay with that," she answered, trying to keep the false bravado in her voice._

_"Sure, you are. For now. But remember, I don't forgive," he warned, the call cutting off with an audible click._

* * *

_Athena felt a pulsing pain in her head as her vision started to get less blurry. She blinked a few times as she heard someone calling her name, "Athena! Wake up, please. Tell me you're okay!"_

_"Sam?" she asked, groaning as she tried to move. But she couldn't. She tugged but her hands were tied. She tried to move her legs but they were tied down to something too. Her vision was finally clear enough to see that she was strapped down to a chair. She looked around and noticed that she was back in that damned bowling alley. In front of her were the bowling lanes, but two people were bound to chairs just like she was._

_She could finally make out the sniffling person in the lane next to Sam. "Oh my god—Elena!"_

_"What the hell is going on?" Elena cried._

_"I don't know," Athena whimpered. "I'm so sorry."_

_The killer's voice came over the speakers, "I don't forgive, bitch. It's your turn to choose who lives and who dies. It's time I paid more attention to you anyway, right?"_

_"No! You're crazy!" Athena shouted to the ceiling. "I'm not doing this! I'm not choosing anything!"_

_"You will," the voice warned. "Choose which one lives and which one dies tonight. Who will it be, Jules? Will it be poor confused Elena? The girl who is ashamed of you and your relationship because you're both girls. Or will it be Sam? Your knight in shining armor, always there for you, but always pushing you to accept the family that rejects who you really are. Choose. Tick tock, Jules."_

_"My name isn't Jules!" she screamed, tears already making their way down her face. "I'm not doing this! I won't choose!"_

_Elena sobbed. "I don't want to die."_

_Sam stared at Athena, "Athena, it's okay. Choose her, okay?"_

_"I can't choose. I won't."_

_"How sweet," that chilling voice said before there was an audible click of the system turning off._

_"I'm not doing this!" Athena shouted again as the killer pressed the flat of the blade to Sam's cheek. She could hear Sam trying to shout from under his tape but she couldn't tell what he was trying to tell her. Elena was still sobbing, her face completely dirtied with her makeup. She was looking down in her lap, scared to death. Athena could even see tears in Sam's eyes._

_The killer tilted the knife against Sam's neck, pressing the sharp blade lightly to his skin. Athena's heart stopped as she lurched forward in her bound seat and shouted instinctively, "No, don't hurt him!"_

_The killer paused, cocking his head, and abruptly pulled the knife away from Sam's neck. He gave a half bow and briskly walked over to Elena._

_"No, no, no!" Athena shouted. "Stop! Don't hurt her either! Just stop this—kill me!"_

_But he didn't listen to her. Without hesitation he grabbed Elena's hair and pulled her head back, pressing the knife to her throat and slicing deeply in one clean swipe. Athena screamed out, no words, just a long wail of pain. The killer gave her another bow and ran out the back entrance._

_Athena screamed until her throat was raw. She only vaguely noticed Sam still struggling to get out of his chair. She knew that they were there for a while, but she didn't know if it was one hour or twelve. Before she finally heard voices calling her name, "Athena Tyler! Athena Tyler, are you in here?"_

_She felt numb, she felt hopeless. She couldn't even open her mouth to answer them. But they swarmed into the place. She felt someone untie her and ask her if she was injured, but she couldn't bring herself to say anything back. She heard Sam's voice try to comfort her and felt his arms around her as he led her out of the bowling alley. She was deposited into the back of an ambulance as someone flashed a light in her eyes, but she didn't react. She saw them wheeling Elena's body covered in a sheet past her, but still she didn't speak._

* * *

_Till and Diana were standing stiffly next to each other with mugs of coffee in their hands, standing opposite a dark haired woman sitting on one of the stools. She looked eerily like the high school photo of Gretchen Athena had found at the hospital. But she knew who this woman was. She gasped, dropping her bag limply to the floor as she stared at the woman, "Aunt Abby?"_

_The woman swiveled in her stool and stood up, nodding, "Hi sweetie."_

_Overwhelmed with emotion, Athena rushed forward to hug her Aunt tightly, choking on her tears. "I thought I wouldn't ever see you again. I miss you so much."_

_"I know, I know, sweetie," Abby kissed her head over and over, whispering. "But I'm here now."_

* * *

_Will carefully shifted down the bed and took her in his arms, letting her head fall between his shoulder and his neck, "Don't cry. I'm alive because of you. I'm not going anywhere. And hopefully this guy gets caught before he kills anyone else."_

_Athena let herself cry for a little while longer, she had no idea how long, before she sniffed and composed herself enough to stop. But she still lay nestled in the crook of his neck, being comforted b someone she wasn't responsible for losing or getting killed. "I don't understand. I don't get it. What does he want?"_

_"I don't know," Will answered honestly. "And I don't care. All I care about is that he gets what's coming to him before anyone else gets hurt. So, we can all move on, we will survive this."_

_Athena cocked her head to the side, taking him in, "I hope one day I can believe you, Pretty boy."_

_He chuckled, "Do you think you'll ever not call me Pretty boy?"_

_She laughed and shook her head, "Not until I think of a better nick name."_

_"Fair enough," he smirked kindly._

* * *

_"I wanted to protect you. I just couldn't. I was in that chair, and I was helpless. I couldn't do anything," Sam ranted. "I don't ever want to feel like that again. I want to be in a position where I can actually do something. So, I've been thinking about it, and I'm going to be leaving soon."_

_Athena felt heat rise up in her face, "Leaving?"_

_"I want to go to the police academy," he revealed. "Clark is going to help me out but there's no police academy nearby. So, I'll have to leave Lakeview. Soon, so I can get settled somewhere, because it will take a while. I'm not running away from you," Sam swore, stepping in front of her so they were nearly touching. "I'm not running away from what happened. I'm just trying to turn it into something useful. I've been searching for a better path in life for a while and I just didn't know what I wanted. Now, I do. I want to protect people like us from the psychos out there."_

_"I understand," Athena muttered, trying to hide her emotions. She still cared for Sam, more than he knew, and she didn't want to lose him. But at the same time, she wanted what was best for him, and maybe that wasn't her. "I hope you have luck out there, wherever you end up."_

_"I'll keep in touch," Sam offered lamely. "And I'll always be there for you. No matter what."_

_She nodded, letting a lone tear fall down her cheek. He cupped her face in his hands and wiped away her tear with his thumb. He then leaned down and kissed her, passionately, slowly, fully, since it was quite possibly the last time he would get the chance. She immediately kissed him back, winding her arms around his neck and letting him pull her closer to him. One arm wrapped around her back and pulled her flush with his body while the other stayed cupped around her jaw, tilting her head back so he could get closer._

_To her, it felt like she would explode with emotion. Sam was leaving – the same Sam she had come to trust so much. But she had to be happy for him. That was the only option for her. She had to let him go._

_They pulled away, panting a little bit, pressing their foreheads together. Sam licked his lips, "God, I'm going to miss you."_

_"I'll miss you too," she whispered, scared of breaking the moment._

* * *

_"All right," Will let out a shaky breath. "Let's end this."_

_"If I really get to shoot the bastard, I'm gonna shit rainbows," Athena quipped. She opened the box of bullets and emptied the magazine, methodically sliding the ammo into it. She slid the mag into place and made sure the safety was on._

* * *

_Athena could barely hold in any audible reaction to discovering that Piper had been the killer all along. That she was Emma's secret half-sibling. That she was Branson and Maggie's lovechild, bent on revenge. She had never gotten that vibe from Piper. She could feel real rage building up in her veins at true confirmation of the monster who killed Elena in front of her, who put the blame on her, who played mind games with her after everything she'd already been through._

_Emma still kept a good grip on the knife she brought. Athena had stopped listening for the most part, trying to move through the brush unseen so she could get a clean shot. She nearly gave herself away when Piper sliced Emma's stomach, despite Maggie's cries. So, instead of staying hidden, she broke through the trees to the top of the dock, gesturing for Maggie and Emma to stay quiet._

_"So now, Mommy dearest, you're gonna get to watch her die," Piper cackled. "But Emma, I have one more surprise for you before I open you up. And you'll never see it coming..."_

_"Piper!" Athena yelled, wanting to see the bitch's face._

_Piper turned around, seeming only slightly shocked but still smugly grinning, "Daddy's little girl."_

_Athena didn't hesitate before aiming and pulling the trigger. The gunshot echoed in the stale air as Piper fell to the ground with a bullet in her forehead._

_"Athena!?" Emma shrieked in disbelief. "Oh, god thank god. Thank you so much."_

_Athena just stood at the front of the dock, numbly staring at Piper's body. It was over. It was actually over._

_For now._

* * *

INTERLUDE

NOVEMBER

" _Daddy's little girl..."_

__

Athena sat at her computer, having googled her 'father's' name. She found the articles about her kidnapping, naming him as the sole person caught. She found an article about how Gretchen Contos was on the run from the authorities for aiding in the kidnapping. They made it sound like Alonzo was the mastermind behind the whole thing and just roped Gretchen into it, like Stockholm Syndrome or something. Athena couldn't believe that. She couldn't believe that Gretchen didn't have an equal if not more of a part in the whole thing. After all, they chose Athena because she was from Lakeview, Gretchen's home town.

She then found another article about Alonzo's previous record that was sealed because he was a minor when certain things happened. It didn't specify what, because the records were still sealed. But it did say that the record existed. She wondered how her parents could have gotten even close to adopting a child the legal way if that was the case, but maybe since the records were sealed, it wasn't much a deterrent. The adoptions fell through for other reasons, and her parents snapped and stole her away.

Piper's last words were still ringing in her head all these weeks later.  _"Daddy's little girl."_  She had said that, grinning at Athena like a cat devouring the canary, like her plan was unfolding just the way she wanted it to. And she had been wondering about it ever since. Almost enough to drive her crazy. Almost enough to regret shooting Piper before she could get her answers. But she didn't regret it. Piper was better dead.

The printer next to her computer at her desk roared to life as it started printing out the articles she wanted. She watched as Alonzo's face slowly churned out in black and white, next to a photo of her at three years old, when she was first taken.

She took it out once it was done and sliced up the pictures out of the article. She took out some push pins from a jar on her desk and turned around to get out of her chair. She walked over to her open closet, the clothes all pushed to either side to reveal a bulletin board. It wasn't completely covered yet. There were photos and bullet lists of facts about them – Piper, Emma, Brandon James and now, Alonzo and her.

The facts she knew about her 'father' were sparse if they were even true. She knew how he raised her. She knew where he  _said_  he was from, where he  _said_  he went to college. She had met friends of his before, people who were like family to her growing up. But looking back in retrospect, what if they weren't just drinking buddies? What if they were accomplices?

If Piper somehow knew her father, she had no idea what this whole mess was or how far or deep it went. She knew Piper couldn't be working alone, but Alonzo couldn't have been her accomplice. But he could still be a part of it.

Part of her figured that she was over-thinking it. The whole time everything was happening, she had become a mystery for the killer. Maybe Piper had just discovered the truth of Athena's background and wanted to taunt her with it before she died.

Still, she stuck Alonzo's photo up next to Piper's and then grabbed her spiral notebook to start jotting down facts she knew – even if she doubted them – about him.

He was born in 1966

Claims to be from Portland

Claims to have attended college, graduated with honors. Can't find any record of that.

Married to Gretchen Linda in 1996 – she was 18, he was 30.

He's trained in different fighting styles, and with different guns and knives. He trained her himself growing up.

He always told her that she was meant for something bigger. But what?

That was all she could bear or remember to write down at the moment. For her own list, she just listed the essentials she had once believed about herself, compared to the truth. Tacking them underneath her photos, she proceeded back to her computer to do more research.

There was a soft knock at her door. She stammered, "Just a minute," and bookmarked the articles on her web browser before closing it. She then shoved the snippets of articles she already printed onto her closet floor before closing it. To cover, she slipped on a fluffy robe over her pajamas and called out, "Come in."

Diana poked her head into the door, "Hey, sweetie. You have some visitors downstairs. I didn't know if you were awake yet."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm just about to get dressed. Who's here?" she answered and asked.

"Noah and Audrey," Diana told her. "Do you want me to tell them you'll be down in a minute?"

"No, you can just send them up," she said. "I'll be dressed."

"Okay," Diana said before shutting the door, her footsteps fading.

Athena quickly tossed off her robe and pajamas and slipped on some jeans and a thermal shirt just as there was another knock at the door. "Come in."

Noah burst in excitedly, "Did you listen to this week's show?"

Athena laughed, "Sure, I did. You're gaining some momentum after taking over for a serial killer."

Noah frowned playfully, "It's not like I took up her other extra curricular activities."

"Anyway," Audrey cut in, "Noah has this harebrained idea and request of you."

"What is it?" Athena asked as she slipped flats onto her feet.

"I want everyone to come onto the show, one at a time, to talk about what we went through," Noah explained, a bit more reserved. But it looked like he was holding back his real energy. "One at a time, so each person's point of view can help the whole story unfold slowly. And, arguably, your point of view is one of the most important – seeing as you...  _killed_  Piper, and all."

"You want me to go on your show and get interviewed?" Athena asked incredulously. "Not gonna happen."

Noah guffawed, "What? But – but Audrey's going to! So is Jake!"

"Jake is an attention whore," Athena pointed out, grabbing her cell phone from its docking station. "Of course he's going on the show."

"Will is one the fence," Noah kept listing off. "But Brooke and Kieran agreed too. It'll all be classy, and respectful. I swear."

Athena sighed in exasperation, "Noah, I have yet to be revealed as Jules Tyler, kidnap victim, to anyone except for you guys and Piper. I am not about to come onto your show and out myself and invite all that public scrutiny into my life."

Noah opened up his mouth to argue with her but she held up her finger and kept talking, "And don't say we can keep that part out of it – people are  _still_  asking why that psycho bitch roped me into everything. We are  _just_  convincing them that I was just along for the ride. So, no."

Noah opened up his mouth again but she cut him off again, "Don't ask again – or I'll drop kick you."

* * *

Athena dragged Audrey and Noah to the coffee shop and paid for Noah's frappe to make up for not going onto his show. They were sitting at the couches, sipping their drinks, and discussing other aspects of the podcast when Will and Jake walked in.

Jake smirked when he saw them, "Hey, Mr. Man. I'm ready for my close up."

Jake started posing with his face, just for Audrey to deadpan, "It's a podcast, no one's gonna see your ugly mug."

Will laughed as he took a seat on the couch across from them, next to Athena, "When are you gonna go on?"

"That's up to boss man here," Jake said, clapping Noah on his shoulder before sitting next to him and Audrey. "I'm yours to interview."

"How about tomorrow?" Noah suggested. "I've worked it out so I've got a new episode every uploaded every Saturday. It'll give me time to edit in music and created a promo before uploading."

"I got you," Jake responded.

"Will," Noah looked at the other boy, "have you decided if you'll let me interview you too?"

Will shrugged reluctantly, "I don't know. I mean, I nearly got split in half."

"Which will make you one of the most interesting ones!" Noah exclaimed with vigorous hand gestures.

Will chuckled and gave Athena a look, "What about you? When are you going on?"

She scoffed, "I'm not."

"Why not?" he asked, only curious.

"Because I like my privacy, as  _Athena_   _Tyler_ ," she stressed her current name so as to clue him in without cluing in the whole coffee shop.

He nodded slowly, understanding, "Ah, I see."

"You don't have that problem," Noah eagerly pointed out. "You're Golden Boy, Will Bellmont, who escaped Piper's wrath not once but  _twice_."

"He didn't escape," Jake laughed. "He got his ass saved by a  _girl_  – twice."

"A very capable girl," Will shrugged, not minding the stigma.

"A girl who can kick your ass just as well as save it," Athena muttered, narrowing her eyes at Jake.

Jake quickly looked away, feigning innocence.

"Where's Brooke?" Audrey asked him.

Jake shrugged, "She's off with Daddy, bonding and what not in the face of near death experiences."

"And campaigning a brighter, safer Lakewood?" Athena asked, titling her head sarcastically.

"Or that," Jake answered.

"How very touching," Audrey said, standing up. "I gotta change before work. I'll see you guys later."

Noah stood up with her, "I'm gonna prepare for the show tomorrow. Jake – I'll see you at noon."

"Sure thing, Mr. Man," Jake smirked. "I'm gonna order my Jake-ice-coffee."

"And I'm gonna head home," Athena sighed just after Audrey and Noah left. "Ian's finally agreed to go back to school for the Spring semester. He's leaving to settle into his new apartment next week so we're having family time at every possible moment. Diana's empty nesting to an extreme."

"She's still got you and Lana," Will commented. "How are things at the house, anyway? Things smoother with Diana?"

"It's smooth- _er_  than before, I guess," she answered. "We had this heart to heart chat after the police finished questioning me that night. She promised to never withhold from me again, and I promised not to hold it over her anymore."

"Do you think your relationship will ever get closer?" he asked.

She shrugged, pocketing her phone, "I don't know. I'm nearly eighteen, it's hard to imagine thinking of anyone else as a parent when I barely need one anymore."

"Well, let me know how family bonding goes," he said as she began walking out of the shop.

When she got home, Diana had prepared a feast for lunch and Ian and Lana were debating whether golf really counted as a sport. Athena stood in the entryway to the kitchen, just smiling. They looked like a family, and she didn't feel completely on the outside of it.

* * *

"You seriously have a dojo?" Brooke drawled as she and Athena stalked into a building in workout gear. Brooke had on a trendy outfit, her sports bra and long yoga pants with matching paint splatter designs on them.

Athena wore a simply black sports bra and some tattered soccer shorts, "It's not a dojo, it's a gym. We may have survived on luck and numbers against Piper, but that won't help us forever."

"What, you think there's gonna be another murder spree?" Brooke droned, knowing that Athena and Noah prescribed to the idea that Piper had an accomplice.

"I believe in being prepared, something my father taught me," she answered in clipped tones, grabbing some tape from her gym bag and started wrapping it around her knuckles.

"Your father the criminal?" Brooke asked, looking around the dingy gym with distaste.

Athena rolled her eyes, "He may be what he is, but he was very good at fighting and taught me everything he knows. That's why I survived. Piper wanted to kill me, and she failed. When I wanted to kill her, I didn't fail. That should tell you that my knowledge is useful."

Brooke reluctantly nodded, pursing her lips, "Fine, you're right. Show me some moves."

They had been sparring for fifteen minutes, Athena slowly instructing Brooke on common self defense moves first and foremost, when they heard some whistling. They turned and nearly groaned when they saw Jake and Will walking into the gym. Jake looked positively affronted, "I am so offended. Here's a cat fight, and no one invited the Jake."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Shut up, Jake."

The boy smiled and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Touchy, touchy. You girls working up a sweat?"

"I'm just teaching her how to defend herself," Athena muttered, checking the tape on her knuckles. "We should all learn."

"A bit paranoid?" Will asked, standing by her side. "I mean, it's been weeks."

"I'm not one to get complacent," she shrugged. "And it helps to keep up my own skills. Keep practicing, training, to not get soft."

"I don't think anything about you is soft," Jake smirked, earning a smack on the chest from Brooke.

"How was your interview?" Athena asked to change the subject.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Noah's podcast has a sudden jump in viewership after he uploads the Jake," he bragged.

"Dude, it's a podcast," Will told him, again, "people aren't going to  _see_  anything. They're  _listeners_."

Jake shrugged, "Whatever."

"If you boys don't mind, we need to get back to it," Athena hinted, itching to get back to training and helping Brooke.

Jake extracted himself from Brooke, "Fine. Will and the Jake will be building bulk."

"Have fun," she nodded to Will as he walked off after Jake, not noticing Brooke's eyes trained on her in suspicion.

* * *

_Athena was slowly stalking through the bushes at the docks, watching Piper leaning over a crying Emma with a knife. Her heart beating in her chest like a drum circle as she finally broke out of the cover with her gun._

_Piper was cackling, "But Emma, I have one more surprise for you before I open you up. And you'll never see it coming..."_

" _Piper!" Athena yelled, the name echoing in the night air._

_Piper turned around, seeming only slightly shocked but still smugly grinning, "Daddy's little girl."_

_Athena didn't hesitate before aiming and pulling the trigger. The gunshot echoed in the stale air as Piper fell to the ground with a bullet in her forehead. Athena just stood at the front of the dock, numbly staring at Piper's body. It was over. It was actually over._

Athena gasped as she rolled over in bed and woke up. She wiped her slightly sweaty hair back from her face and sighed into her pillow. She was tired, exhausted really, of this damn dream. She'd been reliving the same moment – killing Piper – nearly every night since the actual thing. Then she'd wake up early in the morning, before the sun even came up, and would not be able to get back to sleep.

For a while, she would use the time drawing or other artistic things. But her hands would still be shaking for hours after the nightmare and she couldn't get a good piece out of the time. Then she spent more time researching and putting together her own obsession board, but it got out of hand when she converted it into a board that folded out into panels. She needed something else.

Then she found out that the gym she and Brooke went to opened at 5:30 AM. So, when she was shaken awake by the memory of shooting a human being in the forehead, she put on her work out clothes and drove over to the dojo – in Brooke's words. She found it was really a good way to work out her frustrations and jitters until she no longer saw Piper's face on the punching bag.

She would be there for a couple hours, doing various work outs with little breaks, and then shower and change to go to school. When she didn't have school – on the weekends – she would be there for three hours. It was almost as tiring as not getting the sleep she wanted but it was better than not feeling productive.

Knowing she definitely wasn't getting back to sleep, she dragged herself out of bed and headed into her bathroom. As she prepared her toothbrush with some toothpaste, she looked up into the mirror and took in a sharp breath when she saw Piper's dripping wet and bloody face in her reflection. She quickly clenched her eyes shut and took a deep breath, her fists pushing into the counter. When she opened her eyes again, she saw her own tired self in the mirror. She let out a sigh, "No, I'm not crazy," and finished getting ready to head to the gym and beat up and hanging sandbag. On this Saturday, she was way more frustrated than ever. And she had the bruised knuckles to prove it.

"Athena?"

She was startled, missing the major point in her punch, causing her fist to spasm in pain. She flinched, clenching it to her chest, "Jesus Christ!"

Will flinched for her, "Oh, crap, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to distract you. I just don't usually see anyone I know here. Wanted to say hi."

Athena held back her cursing and shook out her hand, "I don't think it's broken. So, there's that. Hi."

He chuckled, "Hi. Do you come here a lot? It's pretty early."

"Um, you're here too, Pretty boy," she pointed out with humor. "It's only seven."

"On a Saturday morning," he added. "I come here to keep up with training off season."

"I come here because I can't sleep," she quipped before she could think better of it.

She regretted it when she saw the concern on Will's face. "Um, why can't you sleep?"

She rolled her eyes, "It's nothing. I've haven't seen you here since I took Brooke. I've been coming here regularly for about a week now."

He accepted her changing the subject, "On school days, I go to the gym at school. The janitorial staff opens it up for athletes, but anyone can go in there. On weekends, I come here."

"The school's gym is open in the morning?" she asked. "I've been coming here way early."

"Well, why don't you join me at the school gym in the mornings?" he suggested. "Jake is so wrapped up in Brooke that I don't have a gym buddy anymore."

"I know what you mean," she said. "Brooke isn't as into this routine as I am."

"So, you in?" he asked.

"I'm in," she grinned.

After they were done with their work outs for the day, they walked out together. He walked out to her car with her and asked, "So, are you going to tell me what's keeping you up in the mornings and bringing you here?"

She sighed, knowing it'd be best to just tell him, "I... have been having nightmares, about that night. And when I wake up, I can't get back to sleep. That's just how I am. So, I come here. That's it."

"Athena, we all went through Hell, barely even a month ago," Will pointed out. "Having nightmares is normal after all of that."

"Well, how about you?" she responded a bit defensively, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"Every night," he answered without missing a beat. "I relive being kidnapped and stabbed. I have nightmares about what could have happened at the barn if you hadn't been there. And I wake up screaming and wake up my parents. But, I also see the school counselor, and she's really helped me out. Maybe you should-"

"No," she immediately cut him off. "I'm not going to a shrink."

"Okay, that's fine too," he backed off.

She shuffled on her feet for a bit, lowering her hands to her sides, "You really have nightmares?"

He nodded, "Yeah, I do. So, if you don't want to talk to a shrink, you can talk to me."

"Let's just stick with gym buddies, Pretty boy," she retorted.

* * *

Athena was once again at her computer. She was staring at the most recent article about Alonzo Contos. He had finally accepted an interview a few months ago, by none other than Piper Shaw. The article hadn't been published for obvious reasons, until someone anonymously posted it online. The internet was a buzz about the whole thing.

Athena could feel the admiration in Piper's tone as she wrote the article. It was obvious she looked up to Alonzo for some reason. It really got her thinking, again, about Piper's last words and what she meant about the father who raised her.

As it was, his only charge was felony kidnapping and social security fraud. Not mass murder like Piper. As far as Athena knew, Alonzo hadn't killed anyone. But what did she really know about him? Or Gretchen? For all she knew, they both could have killed anyone who got in their way. That might be what Piper meant.

Reading the article, Alonzo talked about how desperate he and his wife were for a child to love as their own and cherish and raise. Eventually, Piper asked Alonzo if he had any regrets. Knowing the man she grew up with, he would usually say that life was too short for regrets and there was no point to do anything other than move on with your life.

But surprisingly, in the article, Alonzo did say he had one regret. That his daughter – his words, not anybody else's – was hurt when everything came out. He talked about his darling Athena, that was hurt when the truth was revealed and that she must feel as if she wasn't who she thought she was because her parents weren't who they thought they were.

" _I know she must feel so lost, as if she were a stranger to herself. I know our actions hurt her, though we never meant for them to. My daughter is my whole life, my whole reason for being. I'm her father, it is my job to protect her. And I failed. That is my one regret in my entire life. But, I will always be her father. I will always be here for her when she is ready to return to who she really is. My daughter. That I love more than anything in this entire world. I will always protect her, love her and cherish her as only a father can. And I can only hope that one day she will understand and forgive her parents for what we had to do."_

Athena felt anger boiling up in her blood at the audacity of this man. He wasn't her father. She wasn't his daughter. She knew who she was, she wasn't lost without him. But her anger didn't quite reach her fingers, since they clicked and chose to print the article. Her printer roared to life again, printing out the whole article. She pulled out the still hot paper and bit off her green highlighter cap to highlight what he said about her. Clipping it out, she walked over and tacked it onto her obsession board.

She sighed through her nose just as there was a knock on the door. "Yeah, come in," she called as she closed her closet.

She was ever so shocked to see none other than Sam poke his head into the door. She gasped, "Sam – what are you doing here?"

"Just in town... visiting my mom, thought I'd stop in," he replied, a bit sheepishly.

She just gave him a smile and jogged over to hug him tightly. He sagged in relief and hugged her back, even tighter. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said as they pulled away. "How have things been? Since everything?"

"As expected, I think," she shrugged. "How long are you in town for?"

"Unfortunately, just a couple days," he muttered. "I'm signing up for classes at a community college. It helps get police academy's notice and want to hire you if you're getting college credit towards at least an associates degree."

"Why don't we go out and continue this whole catching up thing?" Athena suggested. "Coffee?"

"Of course," he smiled easily, taking her arm and leading her downstairs.

She stopped to grab her purse and poked her head into the kitchen, "Hey Diana, Sam and I are getting coffee. See you later."

"Have fun you two," Diana called after them as they left the house.

"You got a car?" Athena asked when she saw the Sudan in her driveway.

He grinned, "Yeah, I needed it. It'll help with other visits too."

"Planning on visiting a lot?" she teased him as they got into the car.

He looked away, starting to car, "Maybe. When I can."

They made idle chit chat for the ride over to the coffee shop. He held the door open for her and paid for her drink and they found a table just outside, since it was a nice day for November. He brought them back to a real subject, "So, how have you really been doing, Athena?"

She sighed, knowing she couldn't hide the reality from him, "I've been fine considering. I've had trouble sleeping, and just trying to move on. But I gotta keep trying, right?"

"Right," he agreed. "We all do."

She fidgeted with her hands, "I realize this affected you too..."

"Not as much as any of you guys," he immediately waved off her concern. "I got one night of it and came out unscathed. The rest of you – it was way worse."

"Any run in with that freak was bad," she growled. "I'm glad she's dead."

"Aren't we all?" he asked just as someone called her name.

They both looked over, seeing Will and Jake sauntering over. Jake was oblivious to the situation and grabbed a chair, turning it over to straddle it and sit with them. Will reluctantly took a seat with Jake, greeting Sam quietly, "Hey, man, sorry about him."

"Don't worry about it," Sam welcomed them. "Athena and I were just catching up."

Jake gestured at him, "Weren't you kidnapped too?"

Athena reached over and slapped his head, "Don't you have a drink to go order, dumbass?"

Will took the hint for them both and pulled Jake up by his shirt, gently pushing him toward the door. He awkwardly looked back at them, "Sorry about him. I'll get him a leash."

"You do that," Athena waved at him as he walked into the coffee shop.

"Wasn't that Will, Emma's ex, I think?" Sam asked after the boys left.

She nodded quickly, "Yeah, that's him. Emma left to this therapy retreat. Will's been less of a jackass in light of recent events. Jake – not so much, but he's trying. He's with Brooke now. And she's become a better person all around."

"That's good, it's good that people have changed for the better," Sam responded.

"You have," she mentioned. "I think it's great that you're going to college and applying to the police academy. It's wonderful that you're finally doing what you want to do with your life."

"I'm glad you feel that way, honestly," he replied nervously. "Ever since I made the choice, I just felt like I was abandoning you when you needed – someone."

"It's fine, I'm fine," she assured him, taking a gulp of her coffee. Part of her was lying though. She had felt that he conveniently walked out of her life at the time she most needed him. He was the only person she could talk to. And to pile on, Emma left too. The only person on that dock that experienced what she did. And then there was no one left for her to talk to. But now, she and Will were going to the gym and talking before school. She felt just a fraction better for the school days now. "You're allowed to follow your dreams. I want you to. Really."

"I still want to be there for you," he murmured. He slowly reached across the table top and held his hand into hers.

She froze, not expecting the physical contact. She felt utterly conflicted inside. She had had feelings for Sam, and it could have been really great between them. But things happened, and Sam left, and that was that. She was determined not to confuse the friendship they had now. She couldn't. But she found herself enjoying the contact, enjoying the memories of the brief time they had together, and it was really brief and cut abruptly short. But maybe it was okay to enjoy the time she had with him now. So, she held his hand back.

Neither Sam, nor Athena, saw Will and Jake exiting the coffee shop down from them. Neither saw Will look over at them to call out a farewell as he and his friend left. Neither noticed his words die in his throat, and his half-waving hand fall back down to his side, or his face fall as his eyes zeroed in on their clasped hands.

Jake tapped his chest when he noticed Will wasn't following him, "Hey, man, you coming?"

Will dragged his eyes away from them and nodded to Jake, "Yeah, yeah, sure, I'm coming."

* * *

Athena was quiet as Sam parked his car in front of her house. He was leaving, going back to school full time, over time really, and wouldn't have a lot of time to visit. But he swore that they would keep in touch regularly, as he was with Ian anyway.

"So, I guess I'll see you when I see you," Athena tried to sound casual as he walked her to her front door.

"I'll be back, Athena," he promised, brushing some hair behind her ear. "I still have to introduce you to my mom."

"And get me stuffed with cookies," she chuckled, remembering that conversation with him. "We'll put a pin in that for your next visit, I guess."

"Yeah," he nodded. He was shuffling on his feet, neither of them making a move to leave their spots, being held there awkwardly by something missing between them. Then, before he could think better of his actions, he leaned down and kissed her.

Athena, again, froze up under the affection. But only for a moment, and then she started kissing him back. He cupped her face, wrapped his arm around her waist, and pulled her close. And she accepted his embrace. With gasps for air, they pulled away from each other.

Sam sighed, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I didn't come here to mess with your feelings."

"No, it's okay," she breathed automatically, and then cringed, because it wasn't. "I mean, no it isn't. We do need to keep to our boundaries. Or else we'll never be able to remain friends."

"I know, I know," he agreed. "I know. It's just... weird, it wasn't long ago that we were..."

"I know what you mean," she finished for him. "But we have to try. I mean, what's the alternative?"

"Nothing I like," he backed off, putting his hands in his jacket pockets. "Let's just forget this, okay?"

"Okay," she nodded. "Um, have a safe trip back. I hope you get a police academy to hire you. They'd be pretty dumb not to. It's you."

He chuckled along with her and leaned down to hug her. It was a bittersweet hug, a hug goodbye to someone special, for reasons that she couldn't fault him for. She just wanted him to have what he wanted. And they had to say goodbye for that. Watching him drive away from her front door, she felt a mixture of content and melancholy. She would be happy for him, and find a way to move on from everything that had happened to her, and him.

* * *

"Friends giving?" Athena questioned as she got the books she needed from her locker.

"Yeah, Brooke's idea," Audrey answered, walking with her to class. "It's actually the day before Thanksgiving, for obvious reasons. It's gonna be like a big potluck, we all bring something. We just have to commit to what we're bringing – sides, entree, meat, desert."

"I can't actually cook," Athena admitted slowly. "What am I supposed to bring?"

Audrey shrugged, "Beats me. I'm bringing canned cranberries. Noah's mom is making a ham for him to bring. I don't know about the others."

"Maybe I'll just ask Diana to get something extra at the store," she suggested to herself as they walked into their math class. She slowed her walk when she noticed a new guy sitting in the back row. He caught eyes with her and didn't even blink as she walked to her own seat.

"Notice the new meat?" Brooke's voice sounded from the seat next to her. She leaned closer and whispered, "My sources say he's the new Sheriff's son. Hasn't talked to anyone yet. Name's Gustavo Acosta."

"Your sources?" Audrey repeated in dubious humor.

Brooke narrowed her eyes playfully before speaking again, "Anyway, he's quite mysterious. And it looks like he has an interest in our little group. I caught him staring at me and Jake this morning."

"Maybe he just thinks you're hot," Athena teased.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Whatever, did Audrey tell you about our Thanksgiving plans?"

"Friendsgiving, yeah," she nodded. "I'll think of something to bring."

Brooke grinned, "Perfect."

* * *

Athena balanced the bowl of deviled eggs in one arm, using the other to knock on the Maddox double doors. The Mayor himself opened it up, smiling cordially, "Miss Tyler, hello. Brooke and the others are in the backyard. I'm sure you know where it is."

She nodded, "Right, yeah. Thanks."

"Let me know if there's anything you need in the kitchen, it's a bit confusing," he said as they walked to the back door passed said kitchen.

"No need," she said awkwardly, holding her platter of prepared food. "It's all done."

"Good, good," he opened the sliding glass door for her. "You kids have fun."

"Thanks, daddy," Brooke smiled sweetly, her heels clicking on the ground as she walked over to hug Athena around her bowl. "Deviled eggs!"

"Just me pushing my vegetarian agenda onto you all," she quipped, setting the platter onto the glass table Brooke set up in the midst of outdoor couches she had.

"Perfect," Will commented when he saw the food, swiping one of the eggs and taking a bite. "These are good. Did you make these?"

"Actually, I did," she grinned. "Diana taught me."

"They look good," Noah commented. "I just brought ham."

"It looks good," Athena shrugged. "Sorry, I can't partake."

Kieran was there too, having been invited by Brooke, "That's everyone. Let's eat."

She took a seat towards one end of the table, between Will and Audrey. Brooke was sitting at the other end between Jake and Noah, "All the red cups have white wine in them. All the blue ones have water. Take your pick."

Athena immediately swiped one of the red cups in front of her and took a big gulp.

"Whoa," Will laughed, taking the cup from her and setting it on the table, "slow down, killer. Get some food in you first."

"I have a high tolerance," she winked at him. "I did my rebellious thing. Let's just eat."

They ate, laughed, were merry friends in the aftermath of the worst horrors they lived through. They discussed school, college plans, summer plans, anything and everything that came up. Brooke looked to Athena, "Where are you going to college?"

She shrugged, "I haven't thought about it too much since everything happened. I guess I'll apply around, art schools and such. See what happens."

"What about you, Will?" she asked. "Excited for Duke? I heard they let you in."

Will chuckled, leaning his elbows on the table, "I actually pushed my acceptance a year."

"What?" Noah asked. "I thought you were leaving us for greener pastures."

He shrugged, "Yeah, and I'll still be going there, but we are all barely making it to High School graduation. I'd like to take some time before jumping into college."

"So, you're sticking around Lakeview then?" Athena asked, looking over at him.

"I don't know yet. I'm trying not to plan it all out," he answered.

Slowly, she nodded, and took another sip of her wine, enjoying Friendsgiving.

* * *

DECEMBER

Athena was home alone, content to sip hot chocolate and watch Scrubs reruns for the afternoon. Ian was finally going back to school, so Diana and Till had gone to help him finish settling into his apartment. Athena found it silly, since he'd already been there for a few weeks, but she didn't say anything. She opted to stay home and finish her winter break work before the new semester started up, and Lana's break didn't coincide with their trip, so she was in school.

Then her doorbell rang. Athena sighed, her cozy silence shattered, and stood to open the door. She saw Brooke and Audrey there, grinning like loons. "Oh, god. What?"

"We are in need of girl bonding time," Brooke grinned. "And I am calling for makeovers, spa treatments and relaxation."

"I don't have the money to throw at a spa," Athena droned.

"It's on Mayor Maddox' credit card," Audrey smirked.

She sighed, "Fine, then I'm in."

She found herself being shoved into a salon chair, Brooke and Audrey on either side with the hairdresser behind her. She warily eyed them in the mirror, "Am I gonna like this new look you've picked out for me?"

Brooke laid a manicured hand on her shoulder, "Don't you trust me?"

She turned her eyes to Audrey, "Well?"

"Blondie has good taste," she answered.

"Okay," she sighed. "Go ahead."

It took a long time and she had still not been allowed to see her new hair. All she knew was that they cut off a fair length and colored it somehow. Next thing was, the girls going to the spa in the same building. They got facials, some kind of mud baths he didn't understand, and finally massages. Then Brooke took them all back to the salon to get their faces made over and hair finished. She was throwing a party and her friends needed to look their best, and better than anybody else.

"Can I see what I look like now?" she asked.

Brooke laughed, her smokey eye shadow bringing out the mysterious look she was going for. Her hair remained perfectly straight passed her shoulders. "Fine, turn around."

Athena swiveled around and gasped at her new look. Her hair had been cut just around her chin in choppy layers that curled at the ends, with some red highlights breaking up the dark brown color. Her eyes had been donned with dark brown eye shadow and her lips with a dark red stain. "Wow..."

"I know, right?" Brooke grinned, pleased with herself. "Now, we head to my house to get dressed."

* * *

Brooke had lent Athena a burgundy tight dress with a gap at the side of her thigh with strips of fabric holding the dress together across. Brooke forced some heels onto her feet, "And I have the perfect necklace. You'll look like an elegant vampire."

"A girl's dream," Athena quipped.

"Here," the blonde laughed, stringing an ornate black gem necklace onto her. "You're ready to impress."

"Who am I impressing?" she asked with a grin.

Brooke smirked, "You never know."

* * *

Athena felt a little awkward at Brooke's party, not used to getting all dolled up. Brooke was supposed to stay with her and help her with the mingling with strangers part of this party, but she went straight into hostess mode and started mingling herself. Audrey and Noah, luckily, were just as inept as she was at popular peoples' parties and stuck with her.

Noah gaped a little like a fish when he saw her, "Athena! Um, wow! You look great."

Athena hid her blush with a devious smirk, "Thanks, Noah."

"I don't think I've ever seen you so dressed up," Audrey commented as they found seats on the outdoor couches by the pool.

She shrugged, "I don't usually go all out like this. But you know Brooke, she kinda insisted."

"Brooke has a way of getting what she wants," Noah agreed. "Can I get you lovely ladies some drinks?"

"Yes," Athena immediately jumped on his offer. "Something colorful."

"Right away," he chuckled, walking off to one of the many coolers encasing the alcoholic beverages.

Athena crossed her ankles to keep any undesirable characters from getting a peak at her underwear and then noticed Jake waltzing over with Brooke smiling under his arm. He smirked his the-Jake-smirk at her and Audrey, "Ladies, looking fine this hoppin' night. Not as fine as my lady, but still pretty."

Audrey chuckled, "Your lady? Cat outta the bag?"

Brooke narrowed her eyes, "You're so funny. Are you guys having fun? You're supposed to be having fun."

"Noah's getting drinks, so soon we will be," Athena told her.

"Have you seen Will yet?" Brooke asked, tilting her head to the side.

Athena shook her head, "No, not yet."

"Doubt he could miss you in that dress," Jake smirked, loping away with Brooke.

As they left, Noah swept over with a couple drinks in hand and Will walking up behind him, "Look who I found."

"Hey Pretty Boy," Athena grinned as she accepted the margarita glass from Noah.

"Hey..." he looked over at her and his words died in his mouth as he fully took in her attire, "...wow."

She took a big sip of the drink Noah had gotten her and hummed in approval, "Nice drink fetching, Noah. This is good."

"Ditto," Audrey murmured. "Did you get yourself a manly beer?"

"No, the beer is mine," Will recovered from his earlier faux pa and handed the tall glass filled with fruit to Noah while he handed his own beer.

Noah shrugged off Audrey's laugh, "What? It tastes amazing."

"Alcohol is alcohol," Athena shrugged as the boys took seats across from her and Audrey. The teens were chatting and drinking for a while until the music's volume suddenly went up a bit and Brooke swaggered over, leaning into Athena.

"You need to dance with me," Brooke grinned, grabbing her hand and pulled her on her feet without waiting for a verbal agreement.

Athena just laughed and followed Brooke into the crowd, swaying and shuffling to the upbeat tunes around them, feeling just a little bit more relaxed than she'd been able to be since everything happened. Brooke hugged her close as they danced, but not in an overtly sexual let's-give-the-guys-a-show way, in a we're-getting-to-be-good-friends-now way. In a fun way. Laughing, moving, feeling.

Eventually, Jake tripped over to steal Brooke away for his own more sexually charged dance and Athena walked back over to the seats to get back to her drink. When she got there, only Will was still sitting. He said Noah and Audrey went to get go more drinks for themselves. So, she just took the seat next to him and fanned herself off – dancing in the throng of a bunch of other teenagers had made her a bit heated.

"So, there's something I've been meaning to talk to you about," Will began, "I've actually been putting it off."

"What is it?" Athena asked him curiously.

He seemed embarrassed, "My mom had been bugging me to invite you over for dinner with them – like out to dinner as a thanks, for saving my life over and over again. She's been reminding me, like everyday now. Um, so, this is me, extending that invitation."

Athena thought his bumbling invitation and explanation was amusing. "It's not gonna be a barbecue, is it? Like, I'm not gonna meet my dinner beforehand?"

He laughed, shaking his head, "No, no, she will make you vegetarian friendly food. Does that mean you'll come?"

She shrugged, "Sure, I'll scam a free meal off of you. Just please, I don't want some saint treatment just for getting lucky a few times. Just a lowkey dinner."

"I can't promise anything on my mother's behalf," Will awkwardly said, scratching the back of his neck with his hand. "But I'm sure my dad and I can treat you like a normal human girl."

"Sounds like a plan then, Pretty Boy."

* * *

"So, you're going to a dinner in your honor at a farm?" Abigail snorted at the thought over coffee the next morning.

Athena rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I guess so. It's just a thank you dinner, and he says his mom's been bugging him about it for weeks now. So, I might at well get it over with. It's gonna be so awkward though, right?"

Abigail shrugged and shook her head thoughtfully, "It doesn't have to be. You're friends with Will, right? So, just think of it as having dinner at a friends house, like you would with Audrey or Noah."

"I guess that makes sense," Athena admitted. "It's just that word – hero. It puts so much pressure on me to be this saintly character when I meet them. I mean, they're probably expecting this pristine, good girl, like – like Emma. I'm gonna fall off the pedestal when they see me, who I really am."

"Honey, you are a great girl, just how you are," her Aunt reached over and took her hand. "You do not have to pretend to be something you aren't to fit what you think they expect from you. You are a good girl, and a hero in your own right. That came from who you really are, not some Hercules complex."

There was a ding to Athena's phone so she pulled it out, barely hiding her shocked reaction to the Unknown number message.

"Athena?" she heard her Aunt ask in concern. "What is it?"

_Are you relieved that it's finally over, killer? Don't get too comfy, lying to the world about being a hero. You're nothing but a murderer._

"It's nothing," she lied, quickly putting her phone away before anyone could see the message. She'd delete it when she got in her car, and ignore it. It was just a prank. Or, at least, that's what she told herself.

* * *

Athena laughed at the face Brooke was making to mock her dad's campaign antics as the blonde painted her toe nails a deep navy blue color. "I swear, everything is a photo op and every conversation is a speech."

"Why don't you just tell him you're not a campaign prop?" Athena suggested. "And in that spirit, why don't you tell him that you're dating Jake?"

"Jake is literally my dad's  _least_  favorite person in the world, next to Will," Brooke scowled.

"So? Your dad has no right to make you feel ashamed for who you fall for," Athena pointed out. "I mean, your dad was the one getting rid of a body on tape. It's not like he's a saint."

"True, it's just..." she sighed. "It's just not a fight I want to rush into having. Jake has been bugging me about telling him too. And that he has some plan to make my dad like him."

"It's probably important to him not to feel like a secret," Athena said. "And Jake always has a scheme in play somehow. You both have changed so much since everything happened, Brooke and Jake 2.0 and all that."

"I'm just not ready yet," Brooke whined, putting her bottle of nail polish away. "Are you ready for your hero's dinner at the Bellmont's farm? Please tell me if they have hay stacks instead of chairs."

Athena laughed, "It's just dinner, it's not a big deal. And I'm sure they have real chairs."

"Will never had any of us over to his place except Emma when they were dating," Brooke said. "Jake has showed up unannounced to pick him up or pick a fight plenty of times, but... I think Will has always been a little embarrassed that he doesn't have the kind of family money some of us have. It's impressive that he's comfortable enough with you to invite you over."

"Well, we're getting to be good friends now," Athena shrugged. "He's my gym buddy since you ditched me. And there's the whole savior-saved complex that Lakeview has shoved us into. We all only have each other to relate to after everything we've been through."

"I think it's great, really," Brooke said. "Will has also been trying to be a better version of himself. He's had these raging anger issues for years, jealousy issues too. We know he's been going to Miss Lang, it's good for him. And I think your blunt, call you out for your shit, behavior will be good for him too. You won't let him get away with regressing into an asshole."

Athena laughed, "I guess I wouldn't."

"Okay, you need to get dressed for dinner," Brooke cheered, getting up and heading to her closet. "You can borrow a dress of mine. Nothing too fancy, because you're going to a farm." She pulled out a plaid style dress and tossed it at her. "And don't let grumpy Mr. Bellmont get to you. That guy has no friendly bone in his body. But Will's mom is great."

"I'll also try not to go on a righteous rant," Athena quipped, knowing herself.

Brooke pointed at her with a smirk, "Good plan. But above all, have fun."

* * *

Athena nervously and awkwardly ran her hands through her curls a few times just after she killed the engine of her car outside the Bellmont barn. She parked around the same place she and Emma had parked last time they were here, so she could see the barn where Will had been set up to die just off to her right. She froze.

_The girls came to a halt when they got through the barn, seeing Will tied up to a chair with tape on his mouth, struggling against his bound hands. There was a large machine behind him, with sharp blades rotating just above his head._

She shook her head free of those thoughts and grabbed the pastries Diana got from the store, insisting that she had to bring something to the dinner to be polite. She walked up to the front door of the house just next to the barn and knocked on the door. She heard someone call out that they'd get the door and some heavy footsteps and then Will was pulling the door open, dressed in a regular long sleeve t-shirt and jeans, "Hey, glad you found the place."

"Hard to forget," she said as he let her in.

"Is that her!?" she heard an excited woman's voice as heels clicked closer to them and a blonde woman appeared in the hallway. "Athena?"

"Yeah, that's me," Athena extended her hand. "It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Belmont."

The woman swatted her hand away and gathered her in her arms, "Oh, it's Adaline to you, darling. It's so nice to finally meet you. I'm sure Will has told you how often I've been bothering him to invite you over."

Athena laughed, "Just a little bit. I, um, brought these..." she held up the pastries and handed them over. "To contribute."

"That's so nice of you," Adaline cooed, taking the pastries from her. "They look delicious, thank you. Dinner is almost ready, I'm just tossing the salad."

"Can I help?" Athena offered, wanting to seem helpful. Like a good normal house guest.

"Thank you for offering, but I'm nearly finished," Adaline said. "Come on and settle in. You still need to meet my husband."

She and Will lead Athena down the hall into a dining room that could look into the kitchen. Athena saw a large, slightly gray man wiping his dirty hands with a rag at the kitchen sink. Adaline lead her into the kitchen and put the pastries on the tile counter, "Athena, this is my husband, Carl. Sweetie, this is Athena."

"Hello," he spoke gruffly, shaking her hand in an iron clad grip. "So, you're the girl my wife has been raving on about."

"I guess so," she replied awkwardly flexing her hand when she got it back.

"Well, table is already set," Adaline cut in. "Go on and sit down. I'll be right out with the salad."

"Come on," Will gently guided her by her elbow to a seat at the table, taking the seat across from her. Carl took a seat at the head of the table and when Adaline flitted in with a big bowl of salad and took the seat across from her husband.

"So, Athena, this is Caesar salad, and Will tells me your vegetarian so I made cheese and spinach tortellini with some garlic bread. I hope that's okay," Adaline listed off like the gracious hostess she was.

"It looks amazing, Adaline," Athena complimented. "Other than the vegetarian thing, I'm really not hard to please with food."

"I'm glad, go ahead and dig in," the older woman smiled.

Carl had already starting chewing on the garlic bread and piling pasta onto his plate. Will handed off the serving spoon to Athena first, who doled out a couple scoops before getting some salad.

"Oh, dear, I forgot drinks," Adaline frowned, standing up. "Athena, what would you like?"

"Water would be great," Athena answered, knowing this woman wasn't the type to be told no.

"Grab me a beer," Carl grunted, still eating.

"All right," she smiled and went into the kitchen. "Will, come help."

"Sure," the teen replied, getting up. The two came back with a couple soda, a beer and glass of water, getting back into dinner.

"So, Athena, Will tells me you moved here from Portland," Adaline made conversation. "That's quite a big move for a teenager in the Foster system."

"It was a unique situation," Athena vaguely explained as Will gave her a quick look. She knew he didn't tell them about the truth of her situation. And she was glad.

"Do you miss Portland?" the woman asked, unaware of the looks between her and Will.

She shrugged, "A little bit. Other than the obvious, Lakewood isn't that bad, or that different. And I've been getting along with the Tylers."

"I've only met Diana through Maggie a couple times, she seems nice," Adaline said. "I think those two have been best friends since eighth grade."

"That sounds right."

"What are your plans for college?" Adaline asked curiously.

"Actually, I've been looking into various art schools in the area," Athena admitted a bit shyly.

"She's actually really talented," Will finally spoke up. His comment earned him a confused look from Athena so he added, "You've left your sketchbook open a few times in class. I wasn't snooping."

"Oh, um, thanks," she blushed a little. "Yeah, it's just something I've always done and I figured I should make use of it."

"That sounds very nice," Adaline commented.

"What kind of career are you hoping to get out of drawing?" Carl finally pitched into the conversation, his voice still deep and gruff.

"Dad," Will chided.

"No, it's fine," Athena didn't want a fight or conflict tonight. "There are actually a lot of avenues, career wise, for artists other than depending on selling paintings. There's animation in the entertainment industry, there's graphic design work, portraits, stuff like that. There are a lot of opportunities to get ahead too. I'm actually applying to this summer art workshop they have at CalArts. That was my top school when I was living in Portland."

"That's in California?" Carl guessed. "You think you can get in?"

"Dad, seriously," Will complained. "She's really talented, of course she can get in."

"Moving on," Adaline jumped back in, sensing the tension. "Athena, other than art, what do you like to do in your spare time?"

"Well, some of us go to the theater often because Audrey works there," Athens spoke around mouthfuls of her food. "Brooke and I hang out at her house sometimes. But on my own, I mostly just draw or read or keep in touch with some of my friends in Portland. I'm not all that interesting."

"Nonsense," Adaline guffawed. "I have been looking forward to thanking you in person for a long time now. I just..." she trailed off, tears building in her eyes. "I just can not imagine what would have happened in you hadn't come over with Emma that day. I can't stand the thought of anything like that happening to my son. We will always be grateful to you for the fact that we didn't lost him."

Athena felt a little uncomfortable under such praise, "Honestly, Adaline, you really don't have to thank me. I just got lucky, right place, right time kind of thing."

"Still, we've heard of your skills in self-defense," Adaline said. "You're a smart girl, very capable and that's what helped you help our son."

Carl snorted into his beer, earning a chastising look from his wife. He put his drink down, "Come on, she shot someone point blank in the face."

"A serial killer," Will pointed out heatedly. "The same serial killer that kidnapped me, stabbed me and then rigged me up to get cut in half."

"Where'd you learn to shoot like that?" Carl asked, glowering over at Athena.

"My, um, foster dad was really into me learning how to defend myself," she explained as much as she could. "That included self-defense classes, weapons training, stuff like that. It's brutal but it paid off."

"Yeah, it allowed you to kill someone," he quipped, taking a large bite of his bread.

"Yeah, it did," Athena was saying, trying to remain calm. "Someone standing over Emma with a knife."

Carl scoffed, and Will had pretty much snapped.

"Yeah, well, where were you!?" he shouted, standing up and slamming his hands on the wooden table. "I got kidnapped, tortured and nearly sliced up in our own backyard! And guess who was there to save me! Not you, my dad, but her!" he gestured wildly at her. "She saved my life!"

"You do not speak to me like that in my house, Will!" Carl bellowed back, standing up large and in charge.

"You're treating her like she's some kind of criminal!" Will yelled. "But she's the one who saved me when a killer got to me right under your nose!"

Athena saw Will's fists clenching so tightly that his knuckles were going white. She stood up, wiping at her mouth with her napkin and calling over their shouting, "Will, walk me to my car?"

Both men quieted, Carl not looking away until Will looked over at her. She fiddled with her hands and smiled as politely as she could to his mother, "Adaline, this dinner was great. It's getting late, I should head home before Diana starts to worry. Goodnight."

Adaline followed after her and Will to the front door, "I am so sorry about my husband, Athena. He's always been set in his ways. I can't say much to excuse his actions. He was incredibly rude."

"It's fine," Athena sighed. "It's nothing I haven't heard already."

"I don't want you to listen to any of that," Adaline replied sternly, hugging the girl. "You are a brave, brave girl and my son is alive because of you. That's all."

"Thank you for saying that," Athena said as they pulled away. "It really was a good dinner, you're a good cook."

"That's sweet of you to say," Adaline smiled. "And I hope Carl didn't scare you off completely. I'd love it if you stopped by every once in a while. You're a good girl."

"Thanks, maybe," Athena offered, shrugged as she fished her car keys from her pocket.

"I'll walk you out," Will helped her escape from his mother's embarrassed smothering. The night air chilled them both to the bone as they walked out to her car.

Athena looked over and saw that his fists were still clenched tightly and reached out to grab one, "Calm down, Will. It's not that bad."

"I can't believe he treated you like that," Will groaned. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not that big of a deal," Athena excused. "But I see now where you got your anger issues. I'd have a rage complex too if I had a dad like that."

Will snorted, "I guess I still need to work on my temper."

"When I get pissed off, I beat the shit out of the sand bag at the gym," Athena mused. "Channeling that anger into some physical actually helps. So, what do you say? Tomorrow at the gym?"

He slowly let a smile stretch out his cheeks as he nodded, "Sure thing."

* * *

"Farmer Belmont really said all that?" Audrey asked, actually cracking a grin from Brooke's bed.

Athena crossed her ankle over her knee at Brooke's vanity, "Sure did. Will blew up at him before I could say anything back though. I can definitely see where Will got his anger issues."

"Well unlike Old McDonald, Will is getting his shit together," Brooke added from the closet. She was tossing out clothes onto the bed that she was going to donate – another step in Brooke 2.0.

"I hope you didn't believe a word the old coot said," Audrey said.

Athena shrugged, not bothering to hide her frown, "It's what half the town is thinking when they see me anyway. But it's not like Will or you guys think that. So, who cares?"

"Exactly!" Brooke cheered, tossing a garmet into the other girl's lap. "Try this on, it would look great on you."

Athena gingerly stripped off her shirt to try on the red blouse with pursed lips, "I just hope I didn't make the family awkward around each other now just because I was there. Will and his dad barely got along as it was."

"I don't think they'll ever get along," Brooke said.

"And it's not your fault if they don't," Audrey added.

"I guess you're right," Athena sighed, twirling in front of the mirror to see how the blouse fit her.

"On another note, Emma's coming back," Audrey said.

Athena turned around sharply to face the girls, seeing that Brooke looked sheepish and Audrey looked like she was bracing herself for a reaction. "What?"

Now Audrey was sheepish, "Yeah. I talked to her mom. Brooke and I talked to Kieran about throwing her a big welcome back party."

Athena made sure to swallow so her voice didn't crack, "Sounds great. Um, I should make a cake or something. I'm sure Kieran could handle the alcohol. We having it at his place?"

Brooke and Audrey shared a look, both surprised at the congeniality of Athena's response. Audrey mumbled, "Yeah. A cake sounds nice."

"I'll handle decorating it," Brooke volunteered.

"Sounds good," Athena agreed, turning back tot he mirror and changing back into her own shirt. Emma was coming back to Lakewood. Perfect. Athena was mulling over what was about to change because of this when her phone vibrated in her pocket. She pulled it out and smothered a sharp intake of breath at the text coming in.

_It's not over, killer. The final pieces are coming together and I've got a new game ready for you._

Quickly deleting the text, she put her phone away, and with it, all thoughts of this prankster and Emma and the trials that may be yet to come. What the Hell was coming for them?

* * *

 


	2. Welcome Back

 

 

 

__

_Athena stalked through the brush at the dock, hearing the crickets underscore Piper's villainous monologue as she raised her hands to stab Emma. She raised her arms up and shot without hesitation, nailing the monster right in the forehead._

_She heard Emma's whimpered thanks as she raced back to the dock, turning Piper over onto her back to make sure she was really dead. But it wasn't Piper's dead body she overturned – it was Elena. Athena recoiled back as she saw Elena's sliced throat and a new bleeding bullet wound in her forehead. Athena cried out in horror, "Elena?"_

Athena screamed, the sound muffled by her pillow as she woke up with a start. She groaned, but perked up when she saw that it was nearly eight in the morning. She was used to waking up much earlier to these nightmares. She had about an hour before she was supposed to meet her Aunt for breakfast at the coffee shop. So, she got up and got ready pretty quickly before heading over.

* * *

"Another nightmare?" her aunt Abigail asked in concern towards her niece. "They aren't going away." Athena would always be thankful that her aunt moved to Lakewood to be closer to her, even if they weren't blood related. But being related to the woman who kidnapped her from her real parents as a toddler didn't make her any less of family in Athena's eyes.

Gretchen Contos was one the run and Alonzo Contos was in jail. That was good enough for Athena and she had her real family back now. Abigail was always there for her and now she had her parents, her older brother Ian, and her younger sister, Lana.

"Definitely not," Athena quipped. "But, what can you do?"

"Talk to someone," Abigail hinted.

"I talk to you all the time," Athena pointed out, taking another sip of her coffee.

"I meant a professional," Abby said. "It's good that you're willing to talk to me about these things but I can't help you the way a psychiatrist may be able to. There's no shame in getting the extra help. Emma has and she's coming home, isn't she?"

"Yeah, tonight's the big welcome back party. I'm supposed to bake a cake," she said. "But that's not me. The therapy part – not the cake part."

"Just keep it in mind if things get worse, all right?" her aunt asked her. "What happened here before, it doesn't matter. What matters is how we deal with it, okay?"

"I'm dealing with it," she shrugged. "That's all I can do."

"Right," Abigail smiled. "Just focus on being a normal teenager, welcome your friend back to town and get good grades."

Athena rolled her eyes as her phone dinged. She pulled it out and frowned at what she saw – from an Unknown number.

_Emma's coming home to steal the spotlight, killer. No more hero treatment for you._

* * *

Only three months had actually passed since everything happened. Slowly, Athena changed things about herself to make a new person. She cut her long dark hair to her shoulders and put in streaks of red highlights. She started going to the gym, continuing her training if only to vent. It was her way of coping, beating the shit out of a gym buddy or a bag hanging from the ceiling.

Sometimes one of her friends went with her. Audrey accompanied her once in a while. Mostly, Will went, if only to regain the strength he lost sitting on his ass – his words, not hers. She tried to talk Brooke into training with her so she could defend herself. But she refused, throwing herself into her new relationship with Jake and being a better Brooke 2.0.

Athena had also taken her mortality to heart and truly became part of her family. She talked Ian, her brother, into going back to school for the spring semester and refocus on his education. He fought her on it, but she insisted that she didn't want her situation to hold him back. She assured him that he could visit on breaks and she'd keep in touch with him. She'd grown closer to Lana, helping her come to terms with her sexuality. She'd gotten along more with Diana and let herself forgive her for lying about knowing Gretchen from High School. She even spent more time with Till, her father. He took her to the batting cages to further vent her frustrations. He also made sure to make her a vegetarian dinner when he cooked – and he cooked more than Diana.

Emma didn't really go her direction of self-improvement. Shortly after everything went down, she had a breakdown. Where Athena got angry and lashed out, Emma collapsed in on herself in nervous tears. So, she left to get the help she needed and move on from what happened. Three months ago.

But tonight, she was coming back to town. Athena was getting ready for the party they were throwing at Kieran's house, pulling a freshly baked cake out of the oven that she had made. Brooke sniffed the cake and hummed, "Smells good. Can't wait to decorate it."

"That's all you, I don't work well with icing," Athena laughed.

"She does know her way around a paint brush though," Will chimed in, walking in from the living room.

"Will, sweetie, the girls are talking," Brooke hinted.

A hint that he heeded, "I'll check on the beer," and walked out of the room.

Athena started cleaning up the various cake ingredients she had cluttering the counters. Brooke pulled out icing and gave her a bit of playful side-eye, "So, you bat for both teams, right?"

Athena chucked good-naturedly, knowing Brooke didn't mean anything offensive, "Yeah, very well I might add. What of it?"

"Well, just seeing what shot Will has in all of that," the blonde hinted again.

"Will?" Athena was actually surprised by this. "And me? No way."

"He and Emma have been broken up for months," Brooke defended herself. "And while things with her and Kieran are complicated – there is still a thing between her and Kieran. No harm no foul. Girl code does not have to be incited unless she has a problem with it."

"And assuming I even like Will like that, you think she wouldn't have a problem with it?" Athena questioned her.

Brooke shrugged, "She's got a lot of therapy under her belt now, I'm sure she'd be totally mature about it."

"It doesn't matter, anyway," Athena said as her phone chimed, distractedly picking it out of her pocket. "Will and I are just friends."

"Sure," Brooke drawled as she started spreading pink icing on the cake.

Athena looked at the text she got and nearly gasped out loud but held back.

_You love ruining everything, don't you?_

_Remember, I don't forgive._

Before she could even think to respond, more messages kept flooding in after the previous one.

_It was just too easy to get to Audrey._

_And I don't hate her as much as I hate you._

_I'll show the whole world what you really are, bloodletter._

She ignored them after they finally stopped, deleting the messages and quickly swiping through her contacts to find Audrey's number. It had no answer so she called Noah.

"Hey, did you hear about Audrey?" Noah's voice answered her, making her pause as an angry, indignant heat washed over her.

"What the Hell happened?" she growled into the phone.

Noah quickly reassured her, "She's fine. Some douche bag put on a Brandon James' mask and pranked Audrey at the theater after closing. She's fine though. It's just blowing up on the web."

"Hurry here," Athena ordered. "Now."

"Yeah, we're on our way," he told her before hanging up.

Athena let out a long sigh and cleaned up the counter of her baking supplies before excusing herself from the kitchen to the dining room, making sure they had enough plates and such on the back porch for food and cake.

"Hey," Will greeted her, standing awkwardly by the cooler. "Did Brooke grill you about something?"

"When isn't she?" Athena quipped, sitting on the steps and breathing the cool air.

Will gave a slight laugh, "True, it's just her style. Also her way of showing she cares."

She nodded along as he sat down next to her, "So, are you happy Emma's coming back?"

He shrugged, "Yeah, as a friend. I just want her to be happy and okay."

"Even if she's happy and okay with Kieran?" Athena asked him, cocking her head.

"Yeah," he gave her a bit of side-eye, keeping his face impassive. "I think we're all just focused on moving on."

There was a lull of silence before Will reached back to scratch his neck and asked, "Have you talked to Sam lately?"

Athena had to think about it, "It's been a couple weeks since our last video chat. He got some interest from the Mills Police Department so they're waiting for him to finish his AA degree."

"Do you miss him?"

"Sometimes," she answered honestly. "But I'm happy for him. He's doing what he wants to do, finding his purpose."

He nodded, "You applied to that summer art workshop, right? You promised you would."

She rolled her eyes playfully, "Yes,  _dad_ , I did. It took a few sleepless nights to pad my portfolio but I got it done."

"Did you include those water colors?" he asked her, having seen a lot of her work at school or in her car.

"Just a couple, I focused mainly on the charcoals and digital pieces," she told him. "I also found some art colleges. To apply to when the time comes. Did you apply to that scholarship I told you about?"

"Yeah, I sent in the essay last week," he smiled. "Though my dad's been warming up to cosigning for loans for Duke now."

"Nothing butters a parent up like their child nearly getting butchered by a serial killer," Athena joked lightly. "At least you have the opportunity now."

"And I didn't have to blackmail the Mayor for it," Will joked back.

"Guys!" Brooke called out to them. "Noah and Audrey are here!"

"Shall we?" Will asked, standing up and offering his hand.

She took it and let him pull her up. They walked in as Noah cheered, hugging Audrey's shoulders, "Hey! I've got our internet hero.

"That was awesome bi-otch. Up high," Jake held his hand up for a high five.

Audrey didn't accept the high five but did accept Athena's hug as the girl asked, "Are you okay? Those cunts didn't shake you up too much, did they?"

"I'm good," Audrey answered her. She looked at Jake and gave him a warning, "There's no post-gaming when Emma gets here."

"Not a word, Jake," Brooke added. "Not a word."

Kieran walked in with a couple drinks, "She just texted. She'll be here any minute."

"Sandalwood, a hint of citrus..." Brooke smirked, sniffing around the tall boy. "Someone's very excited to see Emma this evening."

"Leave him alone," Athena chided.

There was a knock at the door and they knew Emma had arrived. Brooke picked up the cake and hissed to Jake, "Come on, get ready. Light the candles."

He did as told as Kieran let Emma in. Everyone clapped and greeted her, Brooke walking to the front with the lit up cake. "Welcome home, girl interrupted," Jake joked, earning an elbow from Brooke. He protested, "No, it's a compliment 'cause Angelina's hot."

Emma just smiled at everyone, "Guys, it's okay. I had some issues and I dealt with them. And, now, I'm back here because I want to get back to normal. Okay? So, it would really suck if you guys started acting all weird around me."

Her friends agreed and welcomed her warmly back to town with a big group hug. They ate, drank, were merry. Athena felt awkward. Over the past few months, she had built up a resentment for Emma. She didn't want to. She understood what Emma went through that night – it was hell. But  _she_  went through something too, and then Emma broke down and left town without a word. She always felt like Emma anchored herself to Kieran and left her behind.

The night of their school's Halloween dance, Piper had crashed the dance, killed the Sheriff, killed Grayson, and trapped them all at Brooke's house during her party. She had lured Emma to the docks where she had Maggie tied up and hurt, plotting to frame Mr. Branson for the murders after killing Emma and her mom. But Athena had seen Emma sneaking away and followed her with Brooke's dad's gun. She set Branson free to warn the others and went to the dock. She shot Piper dead on in the head and killed her instantly.

" _Daddy's little girl..._ " had been her last words, directed to Athena. And in an instant, she had become a killer of a killer.

Afterwards, Emma had had a complete and total breakdown in front of the whole school. Athena could remember it like yesterday. They had just been walking up the stairs in the front of the school towards their lockers and Emma freaked out. She collapsed down the stairs a bit and folded in on herself, sobbing. Audrey had gotten to her first and wrapped her arms around the girl to try and calm her down. Athena had gotten to her second and knelt in front of her, trying to coach her through breathing. They ended up having to call for an ambulance. The next thing she knew, Emma was off to some treatment center, and she hadn't heard from her in months.

It just wasn't like Athena to run away. She was a fighter, hence the training constantly. And while she was in town, she had gotten closer to Audrey, Brooke and Will. And then Emma comes back like she never left. Athena had shit to overcome too. She had killed someone that night. She had aimed a gun at Piper's head and shot without a moments hesitation or remorse.

She barely looked at her own reflection because all she saw was Piper's shocked and smug face in the mirror. Her only escape was training with Will or movie nights with Audrey and Noah. She couldn't even bring herself to go on Noah's podcast and talk about what happened. It was too awful to say out loud, so she didn't.

She was sitting on the couch by the back room, knowing that Kieran and Emma were cuddling outside in the night air. She chugged some fruity drink Brooke made her and looked up when Will called her name and sat down next to her, "Why are you off here on your own?"

She shrugged, "I'm not in a party mood. The prodigal daughter is back-" she cut off, instantly regretting where her mind was going. "I'm sorry, I don't mean that. I'm just—drunk."

"You're not drunk," Will said, sliding closer to her and put an arm around her shoulder to comfort her. "It's okay to feel the way you do. I get it. Everyone focuses on Emma, and Noah sometimes because of his podcast. But people often forget what you had to go through that night."

"I wish I could forget," she muttered.

"I don't think that's possible," he told her. "But it probably shouldn't be either."

"Right," she murmured before she saw Noah walking past them to the back. "Noah!"

"Yeah—yeah," he stammered, stopping in front of them.

"Did you text me earlier?" she asked him. "Some kind of prank?"

"You're the second person to ask me that," he quipped. "No, I've been busy thinking I had to save Audrey from a returned serial killer."

"Okay, as you were," she dismissed him.

"What was that about?" Will asked after he left. "Texts?"

She shrugged it off, "It's nothing. Just a couple texts to mess with me. They didn't succeed. It's probably just a troll."

"What if it isn't?" Will asked, seeming worried. "You're the one who says that Piper wasn't working alone."

"Someone attacked you with her, didn't they?" she pointed out. "It's hardly rocket science. I just don't know what they're waiting for."

"This could be them," he retorted. "Just don't dismiss them completely. And please let me know if you get more like them."

She sighed, "Fine, Pretty boy."

"One of these days," he playfully replied.

* * *

"Noah Foster, killer of parties," Noah stated sarcastically as he broke up Kieran and Emma while dumping his glass bottles in the recycling bin.

Emma smiled as she headed for the door, "Well, at least some things are how I left them."

Noah easily smiled, "It's your first night back, so I'll let that one slide. If..."

"If what?" Emma asked.

"If you let me interview you for my podcast," he finished. "You're the only one of the Lakewood Eight who hasn't been on it yet. Well, and Athena – but she threatened to drop kick me if I kept bugging her about it."

Emma sniggered, "That sounds like her. Lakewood Eight?"

"Yeah, that's what everyone's been calling us recently," he filled her in. "I coined it, actually. It caught on pretty quick. It's not genius or anything, but it's catchy."

"Noah, I have to let all of that stuff go," Emma told him as politely as she could.

"I get it. It's just.. that was the biggest thing that ever happened to us," Noah justified.

"Yeah, and the worst," Emma said back. "You know, to be honest, I have never listened to your podcast. Sorry."

Noah didn't say anything as she left inside the house. He sighed and went in too, stopping when he saw Will and Athena still talking on the couch. He walked over to them, "Hey, Athena, what was this about texts?"

"It's nothing, just a prank," Athena dismissed with a wave of her hand.

"Thing is, Audrey got some texts too," he told them. "And there's some nasty comments on my podcast about showing the world that Audrey isn't a badass and..."

"And what?" Will asked, seeing the look on Noah's face.

"It's probably a prank," he tried to chuckle but it came out flat.

"Noah, and what?" Athena repeated.

"And..." he sighed, "and expose who you really are." He could see Will and Athena's faces drop drastically and rushed to add, "I don't know if that means your past or maybe just to try and take you down a peg, but I figured if you're getting weird texts you should know. It all kind of comes from these same three wackos, two of which were involved in the prank on Audrey at the theater. One dude didn't show up – even though he started it."

"You're gonna murder board this, aren't you?" Athena asked sarcastically.

"You know me so well," he hummed.

* * *

Athena panted as she smacked her fist into the bag hanging from the ceiling. She could dance to the rhythm of her fists bumping into the plastic fabric with how fast it was. But instead she punched and punched and took a break only to do a high kick a couple times. She felt like a pig but it didn't matter.

"Athena!" Will's voice broke through her concentration. He walked around and grabbed the bag to hold it steady, "How long have you been here? School doesn't start for another hour."

"I've been here an hour," she panted as she kept punching.

"You should really stop then," Will warned. "Don't you need to get home to change for school?"

"I brought a change of clothes, that's what lockers are for," she huffed as she stopped punching to lean against the bag, with him still holding it still. "What are you doing here so early?"

"I want going to do some weight training before you got here," Will shrugged. "Now, I don't feel like it."

"You don't have to babysit me, Pretty boy," she told him. "I can take care of myself."

"I'm sure you can," he answered easily. "But that doesn't mean you will."

She rolled her eyes and started taking the tape off her knuckles, "Fine. It's a good thing they have showers here."

"I'll go get coffee, since I'm sure you've had zero sleep," he quipped starting to walk away.

Athena stared after him for a minute before she grabbed her towel and headed towards the girl's showers. She hadn't made more than three steps when one of the double doors to the gym on the other side slammed open.

_She gasped and whipped around, seeing the white surgical mask and black hood walking into the gym. Piper. She was brandishing a large knife, tilting her head inquisitively as she stalked closer to Athena. Athena let out another sharp gasp, "Piper..." and collapsed backwards until her back hit the wall and she fell into the corner. She felt something heavy in her hand and looked to see she was holding a gun, the Mayor's gun that she'd used to shoot Piper._

_She looked up and watched as Piper pulled off her mask, grinning sadistically, "Daddy's little girl..."_

_Athena lifted up the gun and aimed, "Piper!" and shot. The shot rang in her ears, high pitched and reverberating, as she watched Piper's body fall to the ground._

"Athena!" Will's voice finally broke through her panic as she felt his arms encircle her and pull her close.

She was panting hard and holding her arm out as if still holding the gun that wasn't there. Her eyes widened as the scene fell away to reality and she caught sight of the boy in a big black hoodie that had just walked in, staring at her with disturbed confusion on his face. She slowly lowered her hand and let her eyes focus on Will's worried face, "Piper?"

"Piper's dead, Athena," Will told her. "She's buried and gone. You don't have to worry about her anymore. You're safe now."

Athena fought the tears building in her eyes and folded in on herself, "God, I'm such a mess."

"It was a panic attack, that's all," Will assured her. "They can be triggered by anything that reminds you of your trauma. Miss Lang told me that."

"So, what?" Athena led her head fall back on the wall incredulously. "Am I just gonna have a freak out every time I hear a loud noise or see someone in a black hood?"

"No, you can heal," Will told her, pulling her chin down so she met his eyes. "But it takes time. And sometimes, extra help."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "Subtle."

Will would have chuckled or laughed at her attitude if not for having just watched her collapse in on herself a moment earlier. "I'm serious. She really helps. It doesn't even have to be her. Just... think about it. Get ready for school, I'll get the coffee. Okay?"

"Okay," she breathed as she allowed him to help her to her feet. This time, she made it to the locker room and he made it out of the gym.

Will had gotten into a habit of looking out for her. They had grown closer seeing as they could relate to each other in their traumas. There was a kinship there that would have been there with Emma if she hadn't left. A kinship that wasn't there with the others. They hadn't been bound and left for certain death. They hadn't been tortured and kidnapped the way Will and Athena had. They were the only ones who could fully understand each other when it came to that.

But still, it made her wonder – about what Brooke had been saying. Was there something else between her and Will? She didn't feel it in an obvious way but she knew it could look that way, maybe even end up that way if she wasn't careful. While her feelings towards Emma were a bit of a mixed bag, she didn't want to sour it by breaking the girl's code.

She took a quick shower and braided her hair back. She didn't bother with makeup, just throwing on her jeans and yellow tank top and heading out to her locker to grab her psychology textbook. She walked in and immediately noticed that Emma was sitting in her seat next to Brooke. But Brooke wasn't saying anything. So, she just shouldered her bag and took the seat in front of Brooke, hearing the tail end of the blonde's words, "It was time."

"Time for what?" she asked, tilting her body so she was facing them. She figured she should at least try to hide her contempt. And try to get over it while she was at it. She saw Will give her an encouraging smile as he took the seat in front of her.

"Jake and I split up," Brooke answered, not caring. "Where were you this morning?"

"I went to the gym," she shrugged. She definitely didn't want to tell either girl about her panic attack earlier this day. It was a non-issue. Will had been there for her and she was fine now. There was no point to telling them about it now.

"New subject," Brooke turned to Emma. "How was last night with Kieran?"

"I haven't seen him all day. Does that answer your question?" Emma sagged. "I don't know. We fell asleep together, and then... I woke up and found him curled up on the couch."

"Kind of adorable," Brooke grimaced. "Kind of sad."

Emma nodded, "Yeah, more sad. And I texted him to apologize, and all he did was respond with, 'Ha-ha.' Then, nothing. I don't know. I guess I thought I could hit the reset button and start all over."

"Well, boys are not iPhones," Brooke drawled. "I wish they were."

Zoe, a dark skinned girl with multi-colored dreadlocks greeted Emma, welcoming her back. Emma greeted her back as Zoe as the teacher walked into the room and joyfully greeted the whole class, "Hey, Sigmund and Sigmunda Freuds!"

"Kill me now," Athena complained under breath.

Will half-turned to her and whispered, "Be nice."

"Anyway, did everyone enjoy the reading assignment?"

Noah smiled and raised his hand eagerly. Athena heard Brooke mutter to Emma about his little crush and share a laugh. The teacher looked shocked at Noah's hand, "Really? You liked it? I didn't. I thought it was dull. I mean, mesocortical dopaminergic pathways are fine and good, but how does psychology relate to our living lives? That's what turns me on, and that's what I want to turn you guys onto."

"Is this appropriate?" Athena sniggered.

Will wouldn't help but laugh and cover it with a cough.

"Let's think outside the textbook," the teacher continued. "Emma! Good to have you back. What part of psychology would be helpful to you in your life?"

Emma was startled but came up with an answer anyway, "Uh... dream analysis?"

"Excellent," she grinned. "Why do we dream? Why do dreams matter? Why would that psycho skill evolve with us? Phantasmata and dreams help us process our leftover fear and anxiety."

"It's, like, the garbage disposal of the psyche," Zoe smiled.

"Nice, Zoe," the teacher complimented. "Dreams are personal, right? So, let's make it personal. How about what this town has been through? Is it giving any of us nightmares? Scary but necessary. We are churning through what holds us back."

"Just like A Nightmare on Elm Street," Noah chipped in.

"Seriously, Noah?" Brooke sneered. "A movie about a knife-fingered psycho slashing kids in their dreams? Is that necessary?"

"The only way for Nancy to face Freddy and learn the truth is through her nightmares," Noah retorted.

"Scary, but necessary," Zoe supported from the seat behind him. He twisted to share a smile with her.

"But do we actually need horror movies like we need our dreams?" the teacher posed.

Noah answered, "They work the same way. Maybe that's why the dream motif is so constant."

"And here he goes..." Brooke muttered.

"Movies like Dreamscape, Elm Street, Bad Dreams..." Noah listed. "Taking subconscious fears and externalizing them is what horror is all about. You go the movies, it ends, the lights come up, and then, everybody goes home feeling better."

A boy who sat in the corner, staring at Emma in between pitching in, "Or they go home to the horror of their actual lives."

The teacher just smiled, "Now, this is the kind of dialogue..."

Emma looked uncomfortable as Brooke filled her in, "He's new. Sheriff's son. Super creepy. He scams on Athena all the time, so don't feel too victimized."

"I want you all to start keeping a dream journal," the teacher said. "Keep them by your bed." She stopped by Emma's desk and put a post-it note with a number on it, whispering, "In case you want to talk through stuff." She started walking to the front again, "So, when we're talking about dreams and we're referring to the id, ego, and super-ego, does anybody know which one of those three the dream analysis will fall under? Anybody?"

* * *

As class let out and Athena filed out after Will, Ms. Lang stopped her, "Athena, a quick word?"

Before turning around, she rolled her eyes and waved Will off before facing the teacher, "Yes, Ms. Lang?"

The teacher seemed justifiably nervous and gentle as she spoke with her hands clasped in front of her, "I was hoping, given time to think about it, you may have changed your mind about scheduling a one-on-one session. My office is always open and we can even meet outside school if that makes you more comfortable." She paused and let out a sigh, like all she wanted to do was meet with Athena. "I think it would be very beneficial for you to talk about what you and Emma went through."

"No offense, Ms. Lang, but what makes you think I'm the kind of person who changes their mind?" Athena asked her slowly. "I don't need a shrink, I need the whole town to forget everything that happened. And if I can't have that, then I'll forget for them. Now, I have another class to get to."

With her two cents tossed onto the floor, she turned around and headed to her locker. Athena had just switched out her books when she felt her phone vibrate. She pulled it out to see a text – another prank.

_I don't forget. I don't forgive. You're gonna get your just desserts._

She sighed, knowing she should tell someone. She just picked the one who might be able to help without cops. She went to Noah, hoping maybe he's be able to link it to his internet troll and confirm that it's just a prank. She walked over to him at his Noah, "Hey, Noah-"

But as he shut his locker, the new guy, Gustavo, was on the other side and interrupting, "You're too focused on the ending."

Noah was startled, "I'm sorry?"

"I'm talking about your horror viewpoint from psych class," he elaborated, keeping his face straight. "It's too basic. You read Hack/Slash? Bedlam? Nailbiter?"

Noah looked confused for a second.

"Comic books," Athena filled him in, getting a nod.

Gustavo looked at her with appreciation, "Horror comic books. Take Madder Red from Bedlam. We're not sure if he's a hero or still a blood-lusting freak. Could be both. Every issue has a twist leading to a cliff hanger. The dramatic conundrum keeps generating bloodshed. And there's always another issue... and another... Kinda like Lakewood. Killing never ends."

Noah looked positively befuddled, "I agree. That is a broader perspective. That never happens to me."

Gustavo merely shrugged with a smug smirk and walked off.

"Moving on from creepozoid," Athena segued, showing Noah the text she just got. "Prank? Yay or nay?"

"No, that's  _passed_  a line," Noah frowned. "I think we've learned that these kind of things aren't exactly nothing. You should go to the cops. I'll take you."

Athena sighed, "On one condition; do not – do  _not_  – tell anyone about this. Not Audrey, not Emma, and not –  _especially_  not – Will. You got it? I've been coddled enough."

"Fine," Noah groaned.

* * *

Athena cringed at the whole situation she was in. The new Sheriff sat perched on his desk as she and Noah sat in chairs in front of him, "I get it. It's scary. You're a local hero."

"I'm a local pariah," she shot back. "This is just someone pranking me. But Noah made a good point – being cautious and law-abiding and all."

"This is not just a prank," Noah insisted. "They quoted what Piper said to you after you saved Will. Who else-"

"Hey," Sheriff Acosta cut him off. "Why don't you go get your friend a soda?"

Noah nervously took the hint and excused himself.

Sheriff Acosta picked up the report and sat next to Athena, staring at her intensely, "You're Athena Tyler right? Diana's daughter."

"Right," she replied warily, always wondering who knew about her past.

"You don't know this, but I actually met you when you were a baby," he told her. "Before my family moved away. Your mother, Maggie, we were all friends."

"Sounds nice," she commented.

He nodded, "Which is why I'm going to be frank with you. Your friend wants to file a report, but it's not up to him. If  _you_  feel unsafe, if  _you_  want me to look into this – I will. But only if it's what you want. Re-read this. If  _you_  want to file it, you sign it."

He excused himself to get a cup of coffee. She must have stared at the paper for five minutes before her phone buzzed. She fished out her phone and balked at the text on her screen.

_YOU BETTER SHUT THIS DOWN OR YOU'LL SEE WHAT I HAVE PLANNED FOR YOU SOONER RATHER THAN LATER._

She shuddered, putting her phone away. She regarded the form for only a minute before she finally balled it up and dropped it in the trash can and walked out of the Sheriff's station. Noah saw her form the vending machine and raced after her, "What did you do? Did you file it?"

"No," she responded shortly.

He gaped at her, "What? Why? Athena, this could be the partner you're so convinced is out there!"

"I know!" she yelled. "But it's been three months. If he was waiting for a time to strike, why hasn't he? Or she?"

"Maybe they were waiting for Emma to come back," Noah theorized. "This is all about her."

"I know that too," she shot. "Everything's all about her – what  _she_ -" she cut herself off, keeping her face steel. "Forget it, Noah. I just want to forget it. All of it."

* * *

Brooke lounged on Emma's bed as the recently returned girl followed her shrink's advice to clean out the clutter of her room, getting out a box. She caught Brooke looking down and said, "You know you can admit that you miss Jake, right?"

Brooke huffed, "I'm pissed that he turned into the kind of guy that made me care. He's been MIA all day. He's torturing me."

Emma paused in her work, smiling sadly, "He really made you care?"

Brooke nodded emphatically, "He changed, Em. He stepped up. You were gone. My dad was going through all this legal crap. Jake was kind of my rock."

Emma put an empty box on her bed, holding a sharpie up, "It's hard to imagine Jake being anybody's rock."

"A lot changed since you were away," Brooke told her. "Life went limping on. You should be glad you have Kieran. He really missed you."

Emma smiled bitterly, "Yeah, I think my freak-out, really freaked him out. He's been dodging me all day. Last night, it was like he thought I was going to break or something." She let out a sigh, "I don't know. Maybe he just sees me as the broken girl, and he's just not up for it."

"We're all breakable, Emma," Brooke drawled. "At least you had therapy. The rest of us just partied the crazy away. Athena beat it away with her fists. But you're probably the strongest one of us all."

Emma wrote haphazardly on the box with her pen, scoffing, "Not Kieran. He's granite."

Brooke leaned in, "Trust me, he's breakable. Kieran doesn't go into his dad's room. That's how breakable he is. He just hides all that stuff. You both do. You're both a mess." She stood, swiftly changing the subject as she picked up a couple of teddy bears and tossed them at her, "Now, grab me a trash bag. You get one teddy bear. One! Because this is absurd. Take your pick."

Emma giggled as one teddy bear hit her, "Okay, I got the point."

* * *

Athena noticed Brooke's car parked at Emma's house when she got home but chose not to go and try to hang out with them, just wanting to be alone for the most part. She did check in with Diana, her mother, on her way upstairs, smiling when she noticed Lana added another poster to her bedroom door, and ambled into her room.

She dumped her school things on her desk chair and landed on her back on her bed with a slight huff of air. She felt utterly exhausted, pretending she was okay with Emma being back. Pretending she wasn't still angry and hurt. Pretending she wasn't aware of the looks she got and the things people whispered when they assumed that she couldn't hear it or it wouldn't get back to her. Pretending that she still didn't think about everything she went through every single day.

She sat up and went to her closet, pulling the doors open and pushed the clothes as far to the wall as she could, revealing her own mini-obsession board, that couldn't compete with Noah's. It had photos and profiles for Piper Shaw, Emma Duvall, herself and Alonzo Contos. She found herself staring at it when she got home to see if something finally jumped out at her and made everything make sense. Piper's last words were to call her daddy's little girl. And she figured Piper must have known her kidnapper, at least one of them, some way. And she wanted answers. If a serial killer knew enough to mock her for being Alonzo Contos' daughter, then what else could the man who raised her have been capable of?

* * *

"...people call me a final girl, but we're all final girls in Lakewood," Emma smiled, her first and only podcast coming to an end in Noah's bedroom. She had come around after finally speaking with Kieran about not hiding from what happened to them and moving on instead. This was her first step towards that plan.

"And final boys," Noah quipped.

"Right, because we survived," she nodded, turning into the microphone. "And, now, we're here to help each other find... find a way to get back to normal."

"The final thoughts of one of Lakewood's final kids," Noah took over. "This is Noah Foster and you're listening to The Morgue." After he finished the recording, he smiled brightly at Emma, "Holy frack! That was brilliant!"

"Good, because that's all you're going to get," Emma laughed, standing up. She frowned when she caught sight of the maze of a murder board he had set up on his wall.

"Uh, I didn't know what you would think about it," Noah said, nervously. "I hope it doesn't freak you out. Audrey... hell, everyone thinks it's kind of obsessive. Funny enough, Athena is the only one who's never commented on it. I guess she understands that we all have our way of dealing with what we went through."

Emma hadn't said anything until she noticed a black and white photo of a building – a barn – that she recognized from many nightmares she had growing up. One where she as a little girl wandered inside and played with opened up pigs. She pointed out the photo, "Noah, what is this?"

"That's a pig farm," he replied. "Pretty sure it belongs to Troy James, Brandon's brother."

"Weird," she murmured. "Where is it?"

* * *

"Okay, this is not the mall, Em," Brooke whined as they got out of the car, the sky above them dark and cold.

"Well, I wasn't gonna tell Noah that I was having nightmares about a pig farm that belonged to the James' family," Emma told her, facing the very same barn, "and I was not coming here alone."

Brooke shivered, "Yeah, but we couldn't have done this in the daylight? Or tomorrow? Or, you know, never?"

"I just need to figure this out," Emma insisted, walking towards the dark building. "I'm just gonna take a quick look. Make sure it's the same one from my dreams. And then, we can go. Promise."

As they girls approached the doors, about to open them, Brooke groaned, "Emma, I just..."

Emma turned to her, "Brooke, I've had nightmares about this place since I was little. I need to see it. Wouldn't you?"

Emma didn't hear Brooke whisper to herself, "No, actually," as she pushed the doors open, only to see a very vacant and dark inside.

"Why am I dreaming about this place?"

"Okay, you wanted to see the creepy barn. You saw it," Brooke called behind her. "Now, let's get out of here."

When Emma turned around, she was ready to leave. But she stopped short when she noticed a faint light coming from the house just across the field. "Is somebody living in that house?" She ignored Brooke's protests as she marched towards the house, noticing the side door was ajar when she went to knock. She pushed it open and walked into the now dark and empty looking house. "Is anybody home? Hello?"

She made her way throughout the house and ended up in a back living room, "Hello? I'm sorry to barge in. I'm looking for Troy James."

She stopped dead in her tracks when she noticed a small lamp on a table in the living room, and walked over to see the table and wall tacked and littered with photos of her, both as a little girl and recent, with articles about the murders and her.

She gasped when she heard a floor board creek and turned to peer down the hall, screaming when she saw a figure running across the hall.

 


	3. Surviving is Painful

"So, this farm on Pikeview Road, that's what you said, right?" Maggie questioned her daughter late that night, just thankful that Emma had told her about what happened at that house.

"Yeah, yeah," Emma nodded. "It belongs to Troy James."

Maggie sighed, "Yeah, I know."

Emma frowned at her mother, "What? What do you mean you know?"

"You've been there before, when you were very young," Maggie revealed, only confusing Emma more. "I told you about Troy, Brandon's brother?"

"Yes, I know," she answered.

"Well, after the killings, the Jameses were constantly harassed," Maggie told her. "They were... they basically became outcasts."

"So, they moved out there?" Emma questioned.

Maggie nodded, "Until they could find another place to live, a place where they weren't hated by everyone. And I couldn't abandon them, so I would go and visit Troy and his family, even after you were born."

Emma leaned her hands against the counter, "I remember that farm. The pigs."

Maggie gaped, "What? You remember that? You were so young when they moved."

"Mom..." Emma leaned away when her mother tried to hold her hand, "how could you not tell me about this?"

"I didn't think it mattered," Maggie tried.

Emma scoffed, "So, who's living out there now? That man?"

Maggie shook her head, "I don't know."

"Why does he have all those pictures of me on the wall?"

"As far as I know, no one's lived there since Troy left," Maggie said, honestly. "But we're not hiding from anything anymore. I don't want you to be afraid. Let's go back there right now, you and I. We'll figure it out."

Emma went along with her mother, back to that barn, back to that house. But when they walked in, there was nothing. No furniture she had seen before or a shrine to her and her trauma on the wall of the living room. All the photos and newspaper clippings were gone.

* * *

Athena took a break from the gym the next day to give her sore legs some time to breathe. She stopped at her locker to grab the book she needed and when she closed it, Gustavo's face appeared. If she were the type, she would have started at the surprise. He just kept that look on his face – his staring face as she called it – leaning on the lockers with his shoulder, "So, you're into horror comic books?"

She gave him a look, tilting her head curiously, "I used to be. Then my life turned into one."

"What else are you into?" he asked, feigning nonchalance. But she didn't buy it.

"You've been here a couple months and now you're interested in getting to know the girl you've been staring at the whole time?" she asked him. "Or are you just trying to get the inside scoop on the Lakewood Eight?"

He gave a chuckle, "No, I'm just trying to get to know you. Nothing else."

"Right," she replied sarcastically.

"I'm serious," he added. "I mean, come on, I'm new to town. I should probably try to make friends. I see you drawing all the time so I figured we had that in common."

"You draw?" she asked, admitting to herself that her curiosity was piqued. "Like what?"

"Digital stuff, like comic books," he brought out his touch pad and swiped around until he got to an impressive artwork of a sprawled bloody body on the floor.

She grabbed the touch pad briefly before handing it back, "Morbid, but still good. Am I obligated to show you some of my work now?"

He smiled, a small smile, and shrugged, "If you want."

She playfully rolled her eyes and pulled out her sketchbook, flipping to a drawing of a dia de los muertos skull. It was black and white but very detailed. Gustavo gave her an appreciative nod, "Not bad. Actually, very good."

"It's not done," she shrugged. "I was working on it for a friend but I can't seem to get it right."

"We're always our own biggest critics," he surmised.

"Athena!" she turned to see Will walking up to her. He grimaced a little when he noticed Gustavo but hid it quickly, standing next to her. "What's up?"

"Just chatting," she answered. "This is the new guy, Gustavo."

"Hey man," he greeted.

"Hey," Gustavo drawled, starting to walk off. "I'll see you in class."

"What was that?" Will asked after he left.

"He just came up to me," Athena said. "Don't worry, Pretty boy, you're still number one."

"I might be convinced that you legitimately don't know my name at some point," he said as they started walking towards their class.

They bumped into Noah and Audrey where they bumped into Kieran, Emma and Brooke. Noah smiled and opened his arms, "What up, my Lakewood Eights! Though, technically, there are only seven of us at the moment."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Look, I know Jake has probably been spilling trash about me since we broke up, and you can just tell me about it."

Everyone gave her blank stares.

"What?" she asked. "No one's talked to him since... since we, like, broke up?" Everyone shook their heads. "Will?"

He shook his head too, "No, he texted me that he had a plan to get you back, but that was the night you broke up. Haven't heard from him since."

"Probably part of his bold plan to make you suffer," Audrey suggested.

" _One_  day is obnoxious and bold," Brooke muttered. "Two days is obnoxious and weird."

"This is just Jake, guys," Athena piped in. "He'll turn up right when we start missing him as some sort of proof that we need  _The Jake_  around."

"Right," Brooke murmured. "You're probably right."

Right as they were walking into their psych class, Athena's phone buzzed in her pocket.

_Not afraid for your friend? You should be. Who do you think will be next?_

She pocketed her phone and sat down at her desk.

"You okay?" Will asked.

"Fine."

"Say you're a zebra," Miss Lang started class. "You need to learn to face the lion, but you don't want to end up on the menu. So, what's the zebra brain to do? It uses nightmares to simulate the conflict. Makes sense. They live their lives in constant fear of attack..."

"I texted Jake," Brooke whispered to Emma and Athena.

Athena half turned her head back to respond, worried about Jake more than the others since the text she got, "That's good. Did you get any response?"

"No," Brooke sighed. "I even told him a quick response would get him a boob pic. Still nothing."

"Weird," Emma commented, turning her whole attention to Brooke.

"I'm officially worried," Brooke admitted.

Athena started doodling in the margins of her notebook, more skulls. But she got back into the discussion when Miss Lang called on a chatting Brooke and Emma, "Brooke, Emma, can either of you tell us what our friends, the scientists, call this adaptation?"

"Something about zebras?" Brooke drawled.

"Yeah, but no," Lang laughed.

Noah and Zoe both excitedly put their hands up and answered in unison from the front row, "Threat simulation theory."

"Question is," Noah continued, "if prey animals dream of their predators, what does the predator dream of?"

Zoe scoffed, "Girl predators."

There was a bit of laughing until Gustavo deadpanned from the back, "The predator is us. Human beings."

"That's right, Stavo," Miss Lang agreed. "Everything we do, how we think, how we sleep, who we sleep with, what we kill... it's all about one thing; survival. When that instinct is challenged, our brains go into overdrive. We have to meet that challenge and beat it... or else."

The bell rang and Athena just packed up her things and started heading out. Will caught up to her and asked, "Hey, do you want to workout tomorrow? I'll bring the coffee. And hold the bag while you ruthlessly beat the shit out of it."

"Sounds good," she nodded. "But I think I wanna do more weight training tomorrow."

"Then I'll spot you," he offered.

"Spot who?" Brooke asked from behind them, prompting them to turn around to face her.

"Just working out together before school," Athena shrugged.

Brooke eyed the two of them, "When are you two just going to admit that this-" she gestured between them with her manicured finger, "is a  _thing_?"

"What?" Will laughed. "What are you talking about?"

"Very convincing," Brooke commented sarcastically. "I almost bought that you didn't know what I was talking about."

"Brooke, come on," Athena whined. "Is this really necessary? Nothing is going on."

"I'm still confused," Will prompted, looking between them.

"Athena?" Brooke looked at the girl with a faux sweet grin with a devious twist to it.

The girl in question sighed, looking to Will, "Brooke is convinced we're a secret couple or something."

"Not a couple, but going to be," Brooke corrected. "I just don't want you guys to let Emma be the reason 'nothing' is going on." She twisted on her heel and walked out of the hallway, towards her next class.

"Is this a common topic of conversation with you two?" Will asked. "It doesn't sound like the first time she's shared this theory with you."

"She may have mentioned something at Emma's party – before Emma showed up. She's just being Brooke," Athena explained away. "She needs the distraction with everything going on with Jake."

"Right," Will murmured, keeping his cool. "It's just Brooke being Brooke."

"Right," Athena agreed, none the wiser to his change of tone. She shouldered her bag and excused herself, "I gotta head to my next class. I'll see you later."

* * *

Athena sat in her car for at least three minutes, staring at the messages on her phone until she gathered up the courage to step out of her car and walk into the Sheriff's office. She approached the front desk, about to ask if she could see the Sheriff when the man himself walked over, "Miss Tyler?"

"Hey, Sheriff Acosta, I think..." she sighed, "I think I want to file that report after all. And I have some things to add."

The Sheriff adopted a concerned expression and gestured towards his office, "Why don't we talk in private?"

She nodded and followed in after him and took a seat in the same chair she had just been in before. "Um, this is probably nothing. But, Noah's right, ignoring these kinds of things is like inviting them to get worse."

"Did you get another message today, Athena?" he asked, leaning on his desk and watching her closely. "Did someone threaten you?"

"Not really," she admitted. "It's just, our friend Jake – one of the Lakewood Eight, I guess – hasn't been to school in a couple days. We were all talking about it today and I got this," she opened the text on her phone and held it up for him to read.

"So, you're worried that the person who has been harassing you may have done something to your friend," he guessed. "It's possible. But it's also possible that this person is playing with you."

"I would have thought so too, I still kind of do," she rambled. "But no one's heard from him, including Will, his best friend, since we all saw him last. And right as we're realizing it, I get this text. I just... I thought it was worth sharing, at least with the authorities. His name is Jake Fitzgerald. His parents are in Mexico, so they wouldn't notice anything."

"All right, I'll keep an ear to the ground," the Sheriff promised. "I'll have you fill out another report with this new message and let you know as soon as I find something out, okay?"

She let out another shuddering sigh and accepted the new blank report paper, "Okay..."

* * *

Emma leaned her head on her hand at the two person table across from Ms. Lang, "I mean... I saw the photographs. They... they seemed to be there, as real as anything."

Ms. Lang kept her voice neutral and gentle, "Even though it seems illogical that they would be there?"

Emma licked her lips and swallowed, nodding haphazardly, "Yeah. I guess. Yes."

"Hallucinations and paranoia are extremely common with PTSD," Ms. Lang said carefully. "It's not something to be too worried about, really. You'll pull through."

"Yeah, you sound, um, just like my therapist at the treatment center," Emma admitted.

Ms. Lang frowned, "Is that a bad thing?"

Emma shook her head, "No. I mean, I don't know. Maybe." Just then their names were called for their coffee orders and Emma volunteered to get them. Handing the large cups of liquid was turbulent enough, when she turned and caught sight of a woman at her laptop at the couch – the same couch Piper had parked for the better part of the first semester of school – glasses and long brown hair. Her mind instantly switched to seeing Piper there in the flesh, her hands shaking so bad, the hot coffee spilled over her hands onto the floor. She gasped sharply, "Piper!" and dropped the cups, vaguely hearing them shatter on the ground as she lept back and hit the counter, hyperventilating. She was barely aware of Ms. Lang trying to calm her down.

* * *

Brooke marched into the Sheriff's office and approached the front desk, "Hi. I would like to file a missing persons report," taking a seat when prompted and catching sight of Gustavo, the new kid in town, a few seats away from her. "What are you doing?"

"Homework," he answered without looking up at her.

"In the police station?" she asked. "That's odd."

"My dad makes me come here after school," he said. "What are you doing?"

"Waiting for your dad so I can report my wayward ex-boyfriend missing," she answered.

"No response to your boob pic promise, huh?"

Brooke scoffed, "It's my fault for discussing my life in psych class. I mean, I should be worried though, right? I mean, I have no way of getting in touch with his parents, and I haven't spoken to him in two days."

"You're talking about Jake Fitzgerald. Number eight," Gustavo commented. When he saw Brooke's reproachful expression, he added, "That's your boyfriend, right? I know all you Lakewood Eight."

She gaped at him, "You numbered us? That's not creepy."

He smirked, "Noah Foster coined the phrase. I just added the ranking."

"Okay. So, what number am I?" she couldn't resist asking.

He pretended to ponder it, "I'd go as high as number five."

She scoffed, "Are you kidding? I'm at least a three or four."

"Audrey's number three, Noah's number four," he answered.

She gaped, "You've got to be kidding. I'm ranked lower than Noah?"

Gustavo went back to his homework as he answered her, "He was the investigative force."

"I was stabbed and left in a freezer," Brooke pointed out, presenting the scar on her arm.

He pursed his lips at her, "Yeah, I know. Thought it would have had a bigger impact."

As she asked him, "What is that supposed to mean?" her phone dinged and the woman at the desk called her into talk to the Sheriff. She stood up and checked her phone, seeing a request for a pic from Jake. She sighed in relief and turned away from the Sheriff's office.

"Finally answered, huh?" Gustavo asked. "He must really love you."

As he stood, Brooke smirked and walked over to him, "All you people who think you know everything about the Lakewood Eight, or whatever it is you want to call us, you don't know us," she cut off to lean in and whisper, "Not really," before marching out of the station.

* * *

When Ms. Lang had finally knocked Emma out of it, the two women hunkered down on a couch in the corner with two new coffees. Emma sighed, leaning against the wall.

"Life doesn't have a trigger warning for these kinds of things," Ms. Lang tried to appease her.

"Well, it should," she responded. "Someone should invent an app for that. What made me think I could even set foot in this place again? This is where Piper and I first met." She gazed back at the dreaded couch, "She sat right over there, and I let her become my friend. I trusted her."

Ms. Lang adopted a determined look, "Emma, you didn't know any better. It's not bad to trust, to be vulnerable."

Emma sighed, holding back tears of frustration, "Am I gonna have a meltdown every time I see a brunette drinking a nonfat mocha?"

Ms. Lang reached for her hand, "Don't let her ruin your life."

"This is what happens. It all closes in on you, and then you can't get out," Emma whispered. "It happened to my dad. Is it happening to me? Am I gonna be this screwed-up person for the rest of my life?"

Lang shook her head, "You won't be. You just have to work to not be. You're not a victim, Emma, you're a survivor. Piper has taken so much from you. Don't let her take any more. She's gone. She's not sitting over there. Piper is gone. Whatever you need to do to prove that to yourself... is worth doing."

* * *

Athena let herself into her room, dumping her bag onto her bed and going to her closet. She shoved half of the clothes to one side and the other half to the other, revealing her own cork board of obsessions. After hearing Piper's last words, " _Daddy's little girl,_ " Athena had started obsessing with the truth of her father's criminal pasts and finding any link between him and Piper. So far, all she'd found out was that Piper had interviewed Alonzo in prison. It was the only interview he ever gave after being arrested. Athena felt her blood boiling as she read the passage she cut out of his interview about her.

" _I know she must feel so lost, as if she were a stranger to herself. I know our actions hurt her, though we never meant for them to. My daughter is my whole life, my whole reason for being. I'm her father, it is my job to protect her. And I failed. That is my one regret in my entire life. But, I will always be her father. I will always be here for her when she is ready to return to who she really is. My daughter. That I love more than anything in this entire world. I will always protect her, love her and cherish her as only a father can. And I can only hope that one day she will understand and forgive her parents for what we had to do."_

It still made her angry to think that he thought he had so much power over her sense of identity. It made her want to rip up any reminder of him and leave him in her dust. But it wasn't enough to sate her hunger for answers. There was more than some podcaster-subject relationship to Piper and Alonzo. And it was too much of a coincidence. All it explained was part of Piper's fascination with her while she was playing her psychotic names – she knew Alonzo.

Her thoughts were cut off when her phone rang. She saw the word UNKNOWN flashing on the screen and felt a little dip in her stomach. But she fought back the feeling and answered, "Hello?"

" _Did you think you were going to get away with murder?_ " a garbled, rough voice growled into the phone. " _Well, you won't._ "

"Look, I don't know who this is-" Athena tried to seem nonchalant, but it obviously wasn't working.

" _Yes, you do,_ " he cut her off. " _You can fool Lakewood into thinking you're some kind of hero, but you can't fool me. You're no saint. You killed Piper in cold blood._ "

"I killed a killer and saved my friends," Athena snarled. "I'm not apologizing to you for that."

" _It wouldn't matter. Piper didn't forgive, I won't either. I'm going to enjoy torturing you, after what you did to her, you deserve it._ " There was silence and Athena looked at her phone to see that he had hung up. She tossed her phone onto her bed and pushed her hanging clothes back into place, covering the board at the back of her closet. The scared child in her wanted to call her Aunt, or Will, or even Audrey. But the stubborn part of her didn't. Instead, she settled in to do her homework and pretend that nothing was happening at all.

* * *

Emma tossed and turned in her bed early the next morning, agonizing over her late night run in with her father the night before. She finally caved into her instinct and dialed Audrey's cell phone.

" _Hey! Emma, are you okay?_ " Audrey's voice sounded worried.

"Yeah, I didn't mean to scare you," Emma turned on her side.

" _No, uh, it's just early. Um, what's up?_ "

"My dad's back," she rushed the words out. "I don't know. You're the only one who knew him before he left. And I haven't slept all night and I'm totally freaking out."

" _Wow. He just shows up... literally when you get back to town? How long has he been here?_ "

"I don't know. I didn't interrogate him," Emma admitted, wondering if she should have called Athena instead.

" _Doesn't it seem a little suspicious? You know, like, the timing of it all?_ "

Emma frowned to her ceiling, "What do you mean 'the timing of it'?"

" _Um, I mean, like, where was he when all of our friends, everyone we knew, was getting slaughtered? When you were actually in danger?_ "

"Well, um, we're meeting for breakfast," Emma told her. "So, maybe we'll get into some of that."

" _It just seems a little strange that he's suddenly here now._ "

"Yeah, I get that," Emma caved, "but come on, you remember how good he was before he left, right? I'm just... I'm trying to focus on that."

Audrey was quiet, " _Umm... actually, I kinda remember him being a little off._ "

Emma frowned, "He wasn't off. What do you mean 'off'?"

" _He was damaged, Emma,_ " Audrey admitted. " _I wouldn't have used that word when we were little, but he was damaged. When Brandon James killed all of his..._ "

"He went through a lot, okay?" Emma cut her off. "We should definitely be able to understand that. And maybe he's better now. People can recover."

" _Em, he just left you without any explanation,_ " Audrey said. " _What about that? You should be careful._ "

Emma sighed, "Yeah. Okay, I shouldn't have called you."

" _Wait, are you pissed at me?_ "

"Um, I'll see you later," Emma said before hanging up. She quickly got up and got dressed to meet with her father at the coffee shop. Sitting across from him there was definitely awkward. She hadn't seen him since he walked out. She had so many questions, but only one bubbling up above the rest.

Her father looked disheveled and meek, "This place is, uh, nice. It's, um, hip. Or whatever the word for hip is now."

"Yeah, no, it works," Emma awkwardly responded. "I, um, work here. Or I used to, before... I am starting again next week."

Finally, her father sighed and just said, "I'm sorry. I wanted to come back, but I just... I couldn't, uh, get it together. That's my fault. And then, your mom said that you weren't ready to... see me, so..."

Emma did a double take, "Mom told you not to come?"

He frowned, "She has her reasons. I missed a lot. But when I saw on the news what happened with your... with Piper..."

"We don't, we don't have to get into that," she cut him off.

"Being a survivor is painful," he told her. "Having to remember all of your friends' faces..."

"This isn't... I'm fine, honestly," she tried to steer the conversation away again. "I need to ask you this one thing."

"Anything," her father offered.

Emma took a breath, "I understand that you and Mom couldn't make it work. I get that. Sometimes, people just don't fit together. And, now, I know what you went through with Piper. The lies, all of it. I understand why you ran away from this place, but..." she took another deep breath, "Why'd you have to leave me?"

The older man let out his own sigh, "I can't explain that."

Emma couldn't look at him anymore, opting to stand up and walk out, dialing her mom's number on her cell.

" _Hi, honey. How was breakfast?_ "

"Did you tell Dad not to contact me?"

Her mother sighed, " _It's not that simple. When he called out of the blue, I said that now might not be the best time._ "

"You could have told me last night. I'm tired of all these secrets," Emma hung up on her and carried on to school.


	4. Will and Athena?

"Okay, we're done," Will said as Athena dropped the dumbbell on the floor. He handed her a towel to wipe off with. "You're getting a lot stronger."

"Training will do that," she quipped. "Thanks for spotting. Now – I remember someone promising coffee."

He smiled, "You got it. I have something to ask for in return though."

"What?" she asked him warily.

"Talk to Emma," he said. Which was not what she was expecting him to say. "I know you're avoiding her even if you won't admit it. I think I know why."

"Because you know me so well," she said as she patted her face with the towel.

"I like to think I do after all this time we've spent together," he defended himself. "I know what you've had to deal with is Hell. And I know that you link it with Emma. And it didn't really help that she left and you were stuck here with no one who was there that night."

"Maggie was on that dock too, I don't resent her," she pointed out, sitting back down on the bench.

"Look, I know my track record as this dumb ass who made mistake after mistake doesn't exactly paint me the best way," he sat down beside her. "But I'm really just trying to help out. If you ever want to talk about it, I'm here."

So many people had been offering for her to talk to them about her trauma and what she had been through. But she had only really been able to talk to Abigail about what happened. And recent events pushed her to talking to Will about it too. She kind of had to when she had a panic attack right in front of him. While she'd never go to Miss Lang about it – she didn't need a shrink – maybe it was worth something to actually talk to someone openly.

She sighed, "No one else saw. That night, Maggie was in pain and looking at Emma. Emma was looking at me. Piper was looking at me. And they both saw what I did. Witnessed it. To anyone else, it's fact but it's still abstract. They didn't see me shoot that gun so to them – to you – I don't have  _killer_  stamped on my forehead. But to her, she saw exactly what I'm capable of. She saw my face. Seeing her is a constant reminder of what I want to forget."

"Piper was a serial killer," Will reminded her. "She was a monster. You saved all of us when you shot her. You saved Emma, Maggie, and anyone else she planned to kill. And I know you, you're not ever going to stop saving us even if it leaves you feeling empty afterwards."

"Like now?" she asked. "I feel like I'm on the outs of the town because I'm part of this Lakewood Eight. But I even feel like I'm on the outs of our little group because I'm the only one who hurt someone. Everyone else  _got_  hurt. I killed."

"You're not on the outs, that's something you're doing to yourself," Will told her, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her into his chest. "We all care about you. We all have your back, just like you've had ours. I have your back." In a moment of weakness, before he could talk himself out of it, he kissed her cheek. "Now, I'm going to get that coffee."

"Okay," she ducked her head so he didn't see her blush and stood up. "I'm going to get ready for school. I'll meet you at the PAC. I'm gonna crash Brooke's Beauty Pageant practice."

"It's not a—" he started to correct her.

She rolled her eyes and finished sarcastically, "Beauty Pageant, it's a scholarship program and charity. Blah, Blah, Blah. It's misogynistic at best."

" _Still_ ," he insisted. "Play nice if you run into the girls taking part in it."

She crossed her heart with her index finger, "Scout's honor."

He laughed, heading to the boys locker room, "You're no Scout."

* * *

Freshly showered and dressed, Athena made her way into the Performing Arts Center and let out a sigh when she saw Stavo sitting in the back. She made her way over, "I wouldn't think these things were your kind of thing."

He looked up at her as she took the seat next to him, "I could say the same for you."

"It's more entertaining than a blank wall," she shrugged. "Besides, I have a friend in the show."

"Brooke, number 5," he nodded. "I know."

"Excuse me?" she looked at him. "You ranked us, didn't you?"

This time, he shrugged, "It was something to do. If it makes you feel better, you're number one."

"Not Emma?" she asked him. "Why is that?"

"Because you're the most important," he said without hesitation. "To me, at least."

Before she could discern what he meant by that, Brooke walked over with her stern face and hands on her hips. "Is this  _muchacho_  bothering you, Athena?"

"Good morning, Brooke," Athena greeted her before pulling out her sketchbook.

"Came early to get in some laps and accidentally discovered this circus," Gustavo looked up at Brooke.

Brooke shifted on her feet, keeping up her tough Cosmo girl exterior, "It's a traditional scholarship program with a charity component."

"So... ever track down your missing boyfriend?" he asked.

"Missing?" Athena came back into the conversation. "Jake is missing now?"

"No," Brooke countered. "Just a dead man when I get my hands on him."

"Brooke!" someone from the stage yelled up. "Are you joining us?"

Brooke looked over and waved them off, turning to Athena, "Can you handle him?"

"I've got it," she smirked. "Go practice your walk."

The blonde rolled her eyes and went back to the stage.

"She doesn't like me much," Gustavo commented, going back to his drawing.

"Well, you have been obsessively staring at us," she pointed out, "and ranking us. That's bound to put her on her grouchy side. Imagine how she'd react if she knew you were drawing us."

Gustavo gave her a look, finally a different look, a shocked look, "You knew?"

She gave him her own look, a 'are you kidding me?' look, "Come on, you're talking to another artist here. I recognize when someone is observing and drawing. Can I see?"

"It's not pretty," he warned, handing over his touch pad. "I am the  _horror_  comic fan."

She first saw the drawing of Emma, with a knife sticking out of her head and blood coming out of wounds on her forehead and arm. She swiped and saw one of Brooke, slightly unfinished with white eyes. She hummed, "These are good. Do I wanna see the one of me?"

"It's not done," he murmured, taking back his touch pad. "But I'll show you when it is done."

"I'll hold you to that," she smiled at him, warmly this time, no trace of sarcasm.

"Coffee is here," she heard Will's voice from behind her.

She tilted her head back to look at him, "You're a God."

He laughed, handing her her drink and leaning over the back of the seat on her other side. His smile dropped a bit when he looked at Gustavo, "Hey man. We didn't introduce ourselves the other day. I'm Will."

"Stavo," he intoned back, putting his touch pad on sleep mode and putting it away. He grabbed his bag and stood up, looking down at Athena briefly, "See you in class," and walking away.

"Are you sure you should trust that guy?" Will asked as he walked around and took the recently vacated seat. "He's a bit creepy."

Athena could have told him about the art but she knew how an artist's mind worked. Each piece was a part of themselves and an extension of themselves. It took trust to share them with anyone. She wasn't going to betray that just to explain away his peculiarities to her friends. "He's just different. And interested in us."

"In us or in you?" he asked, unable to keep the jealousy out of his voice.

She gave him a look, picking up on his tone, "Are you jealous?"

"What?" he guffawed. "Of Gustavo?"

She paused, wondering again in Brooke was right. Instead of getting heavy, she just went on like it was a joke, "It's okay, Pretty boy. This is a safe place."

"I'm not jealous," he insisted. "I have nothing to be jealous of."

"That's right," she agreed before thinking of the implications of her words. "You don't."

His smile dropped into a thoughtful gaze as he looked at her, "Right. I should go study for that test I have in third period. I'll see you in psych class." He got up and left the PAC.

"Athena," Brooke's voice called out to her. She looked and saw the blonde girl walking up with Zoe, "Please help me with Zoe's crush."

"You mean her crush on Noah?" Athena teased.

The girl gave an embarrassed smile, "Okay, no, it's not a crush. I'm just a little obsessed with his podcast. But he was with Riley. That was so sad. Now, he's always with Audrey. Although, after that video last fall, I guess guys aren't really her thing. Did you see it? Who would even post something like that?"

"Mean people who don't think," Brooke drawled. "In other news, I definitely think there's something we can do about this whole Noah situation. And Will situation."

Athena quieted, looking down at her lap.

Brooke tilted her head, "You're not disagreeing with me? Insisting that there's nothing going on and you two are just  _close_  friends?"

Athena rolled her eyes at the grilling, "Lately, maybe, I have, perhaps, thought you might – be onto to something, or something. I don't know. It's complicated."

"That, I can help with," Brooke said with a smile. Her phone vibrated and she pulled it out, "Ugh, unknown numbers drive me nuts." She answered it, her face immediately going dark. She walked off a little but Athena could still hear her, "Okay, you are blocked on all social media, phones, even the telegraph, Branson, and you're blocked for a reason."

Athena sensed a turn for the dramatic and gathered her things. She was correct of course, because after Brooke hung up she spouted out an excuse to Zoe and pulled Athena's hand out of the PAC and lead her through the hallways until she found Audrey and Emma. Despite them being with Kieran, Noah and some other guy. She grabbed Emma and Audrey, "Excuse me. 'Girl's only' moment."

She dragged them all into the girl's room and stopped at the sinks, "So, out of nowhere, Branson hits me up this morning."

Emma and Audrey both gave her shocked looks.

Brooke scoffed, "Yeah. He said he just 'heard' Jake and I broke up."

"Whoa!" Emma breathed. "How did he hear that? Barely anyone even knew that you were together."

"What is it with men from the past mysteriously showing up?" Audrey asked, earning a reproachful look from Emma.

"What does that mean?" Athena asked, sensing something else going on.

"Emma's deadbeat dad resurfaced, too," Audrey answered.

"Okay, not cool," Emma glared at Audrey. "And that is a totally different thing. And I was also not ready to share that!"

Brooke looked hurt, "You weren't going to share it with me?"

Emma shifted on her feet, "The person I told this morning wasn't exactly supportive, so..."

"So, you thought you'd go back to lying and keep secrets?" Athena asked, narrowing her eyes.

"It's not the same," Emma insisted. "It's just I had to get used to it. I didn't want any more people talking against him."

"And how was breakfast this morning?" Audrey asked.

Emma hesitated, "It went really well."

"I can tell that's 100% not true," Audrey deadpanned.

"Okay, are you two, like, legit fighting?" Brooke asked.

Emma sighed, "No, it's fine. It's just... Audrey has some unflattering opinions about my dad, that's all."

"No, they're memories, not opinions," Audrey corrected. "And, sometimes, maybe people are going through big things that have absolutely nothing to do with you, Emma. Big shocker!" She stormed off.

"What was that about?" Emma asked.

Athena could feel the tell-tale sign of resentment building up in her. It was trying to claw it's way out of her and make her lash out. But she held it back, looking down at her feet.

"Athena?" Emma asked, stepping closer to her. "Okay, what is going on with you two?"

"Now you care?" Athena scoffed, looking up.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Emma asked, an offended lilt to her voice.

"What do you think?" Athena glared. "You have been about you for months, ever since that night. You don't care about us."

"That is not true," Emma tried to deny.

"You abandoned us," Athena started getting emotional. "You left and we all had to pick up the pieces – some of us alone."

"I'm sorry that I needed help and went to get treatment," Emma responded.

"Spare me," she scoffed back. "I am tired, Emma. I am tired of treating you like a hero. I am tired of pretending that I'm okay seeing your face pretending everything is okay when I see you and all I see is you on that dock. I am tired of you acting like you were the  _only_   _one_  on that dock."

Emma just gaped at her. Athena just walked out of the bathroom, going straight to her locker. She grabbed her things and went to class, content to ignore Emma for the rest of the day.

Back at the bathroom, Emma was still slack jawed and asked Brooke, "Can you believe her?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Come on, Emma. Athena went through something too that night. Something horrible. And the one person who could have shared the burden with her, help her with it, left town for three months."

"I needed help," Emma insisted, frowning. "I needed to work through my own problems."

"And good for you, you got your therapy," Brooke nodded. "The rest of us didn't get that. The rest of us, needed someone. You have Kieran. I had Jake." Brooke hesitated before what she said next, "Athena could have Will."

"Will?" Emma gasped. "And Athena?"

"No," Brooke shook her head. "Even with all her unresolved feelings about you and your trashed friendship – Athena doesn't want to hurt you. But Emma, you have Kieran. You don't get Will too. He's the one person who was able to comfort Athena, who was able to understand what she went through. So, if something happens between them and you don't like it – you need to get over it."

* * *

Athena was in her room, doing homework when Brooke called.

" _Come on, you need to help me set Zoe and Noah up, and you need to take Emma out of the equation and just give Will a chance,_ " she insisted. " _We're all meeting up at the theater in twenty minutes. Wear that shirt with the poka dots that makes your boobs look good._ "

Athena sighed, rolling her eyes, "Let me guess, Will is picking me up as per your orders?"

" _You know me so well,_ " Brooke commented. " _See you soon._ "

* * *

"Did I tell you that you look nice?" Will asked-slash-complimented Athena as they stood outside the theater.

Athena blushed, looking down at her poka dotted shirt, "No, but thanks."

"You're welcome," he answered as Noah walked back over to them looking dejected.

"Still no word from Audrey?" Athena asked knowingly.

"She's been MIA for a few days pretty much," he sighed. "I don't know what she's doing."

"Hey guys," the three teens looked over to see Gustavo walking over. "You here for some B-movie action?"

"Yup, we're just waiting for a couple friends," Noah answered.

"If you have a second, I've been listening to the podcast," Gustavo admitted.

"Oh, a fan of The Morgue, huh?" Noah laughed.

"Yeah," he nodded. "It sounds like you're making real progress with this whole Piper accomplice thing."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I was just wondering... what if you do find someone?" Gustavo asked. "Don't you think that he, or she, or even  _they_ , won't be happy about it? That means you get hurt. Or worse."

"Okay, food for thought," Noah commented. "But I've got some badass friends who have my back." To emphasize his point, his put a hand on Athena's shoulder.

"Badass, indeed," Gustavo agreed, looking at her.

Will shifted a bit uncomfortably, closer to Athena's side, when he saw Brooke and Zoe heading over. "Hey girls."

"Here we are," Brooke grinned. Her grin fell when she saw Gustavo, "Did you invite him?"

He smirked at her but didn't say anything. Noah answered, "No. Uh, where's everyone else?"

"Oh, it's just us," Brooke smiled. "This is Zoe. You two know each other, right?"

Noah and Zoe stammered out affirmatives, ending with chuckles. There was an awkward lull of silence before Zoe asked him about the AP English reading. Athena zoned out of their conversation, looking up at Will, "Brooke dragged you into this, didn't you?"

"A little bit," he admitted. "But I didn't mind."

"I'm just gonna speed this up a little bit," Brooke's voice took over conversation. "Noah, if you're smart, you'll ask Zoe out. And if you're lucky, she'll say yes. Right?" She then turned a snarl back to Gustavo, "And what are you doing here?"

"Be nice," Athena chided. "We ran into each other. Let's just go see the movie."

"Yes," Noah agreed, helping her lead the group into the theater. "A night of Killer Klowns from Outer Space."

Brooke groaned, "God, is that what we're seeing?"

"Audrey said she was going to sneak us in tonight," Noah commented. He frowned when they walked in and saw a boy taking tickets at the theater room door. "But she's not here. She's been MIA a lot lately."

"Jut let her work through whatever it is," Athena patted his arm.

"Do you want any snacks?" Will asked her, shifting so their sides were pressed together. "On me."

They looked over to the concessions counter and all dropped when they saw Branson ordering popcorn.

"Who's that guy?" Stavo asked.

"That's Mr. Branson," Zoe answered for them all. "He used to teach at GWH."

"Yeah, he used to do a lot of things," Noah commented, looking at Brooke.

The blonde glared with a deep hatred and stormed over to him. Stavo leaned down over Athena's ear and asked, "Am I missing something?"

"You mean you  _don't_  know our whole lives back stories?" Athena asked with a teasing hitch to her voice, earning a playful glare from him.

Not being able to help it, Will put his arm around Athena's waist and pulled her further from Stavo, giving the guy a look. Brooke made her way back to them and wedged herself in the middle of the group, between Athena and Stavo.

"Hey, Mr. Branson," Noah cut in when the ex-teacher tried to follow her. "Any new missing girls to report?"

Branson scoffed, "I never liked you, Foster."

"We don't like you a whole lot either," Athena glared at him. "You need to leave."

"This is a public place, Tyler," he pointed out. "I'm allowed to be here."

"But I'm not gonna allow you to prey on one of my best friends," she cut in, stepping forward. "You forget how lethal I can be."

"I don't think anyone's going to forget that," he sneered.

"No need for all this," Brooke intervened. She pressed herself into Stavo's chest provocatively. "Your sources were right about Jake. It's... complicated. But, in the meantime, I'm keeping my plate full. This is my new friend, Stavo. He's the Sheriff's son. So, be nice."

Stavo played along, putting his arm around her, "Is this old dude bothering you?"

Branson had a look of disbelief on his face, "You're not dating this guy."

Stavo acted and pulled Brooke in for a kiss, causing Branson to flinch and Athena to grin a little bit at his pain. When they pulled away, Stavo told her, "Babe, if we're gonna see the movie, we should get in there."

Brooke cleared her throat, "You know, um, on second thought, I'm not stoked about sitting in a dark room with a teacher. Let's just find something else to do, guys."

They all agreed and started exiting the theater, but Branson wasn't done. "You've changed, Brooke. You didn't even say thank you for the flowers."

Brooke froze, turning around to face him, "What flowers?"

"The ones I left on your car?"

Brooke seemed to realize something, her face dropping considerably. "Let's go," she turned around and exited. The rest of them kept walking but Athena stopped when Brooke did, shooting off texts to someone.

"Brooke, what is it? What's wrong?" she asked, concerned for her friend.

"I thought the flowers were from Jake," Brooke admitted. "He doesn't even care that we broke up."

"I'm sure he does," Athena tried to comfort her. "He's a jackass but he was different when you two got together. He had someone to care about and it was changing him. This is probably just him regressing to his jackass self as a coping mechanism."

"Sure," Brooke scoffed. "Let's just go."

* * *

"So, this night didn't exactly go as planned," Will commented as he drove Athena home.

She shrugged, nonplussed, "Maybe not. But the whole point was to push Zoe and Noah together and I think that part was accomplished."

"We both know that wasn't Brooke's only plan," Will said as they pulled up to the front of her house. He cut the engine, shut off the headlights and leaned back.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Athena tried to deny, taking off her seat belt.

"I like you," Will blurted out. "I think that you know that."

"I don't," she insisted.

"Yes, you do," he insisted, turning to face her. "I'm not a total idiot, Athena, please don't treat me like I am."

"I think you're about to start a dangerous conversation, Pretty boy," she warned him. "And I don't know where you're trying to go with it."

"Just tell me if you feel what I do," he requested. "Yes or no, I won't hold either answer against you."

"There's no such thing as no consequences," Athena stared at the glove compartment. "If I say no, I lose you, I lose the one person I can talk to. If I say yes, I'm the worst friend in the world to the fragile Emma Duval. I already bit her head off today at school, I don't need to go down in history as the girl code destroyer."

"Look, Athena, I've made a lot of dumb ass mistakes," Will said. "Nothing I can defend other than to say that I was an imbecile and that I've been trying to change, to do better. And this, with you, is the one decision that doesn't feel like a mistake."

"But it could be," she retorted. "What if I... say yes? Then what? It will be a ton of drama that I'm not sure I can put up with without ripping someone's head off. I'm not as emotionally matured and healed as I pretend to be."

"Whatever decision you make right now, I promise there will be no negative consequences with us," he swore. "If you say no, I'm still your friend. I will still have your back and I won't say another word. If you say yes, then I will definitely have your back and I won't let anyone give you any shit. I'll be the one ripping peoples heads off."

Athena chuckled, letting a tear fall from her eye, "I thought you were working on your anger issues."

"I am," he said. "But I can still try to protect you. Because I care about you."

She let out a shaky sigh, "I don't know—I just-"

"That's okay too," he cut her off gently, leaning closer over the center console. "Take some time to figure it out." There was some hesitation in his eyes for something, she didn't know what. But then she felt his lips on hers. She didn't move, didn't even kiss back until the very last second before he pulled away, cupping the side of her face in one hand, "Take all the time you need. I'll be here."

She couldn't form words so she just nodded in a flutter of movement. When he leaned back into his own seat she unbuckled herself and opened her door. She stopped when she was out, "Goodnight, Pretty boy."

"Goodnight, Athena," he sighed, starting the car and driving off once she closed the door.

She wiped under her eyes before collecting herself enough to walk up to her front door.

"Athena," she froze when she heard Emma's voice, turning around to see the girl walking up to her on the walk-in.

"Emma, what are you doing here?" she asked, only worried that Emma had seen her and Will.

"Um, was that Will's car?" she asked, looking to where he had driven off.

"Yeah, he was giving me a ride home from the restaurant," Athena explained. "We were with Brooke, Zoe, Noah and Stavo just hanging out."

"Um, Brooke told me that she thinks something is going on between you two," Emma stated, looking awkward.

"Brooke," Athena repeated in clipped tones. "Perfect."

"Don't be mad at her," Emma pleaded. "She kinda told me while she was telling me off."

"For what?" she asked, not really buying that Brooke raised her voice at perfect Emma.

"Leaving you all behind," Emma sighed. "She told me Will was the only one who was actually able to help you when I didn't even bother. And that if you two got together – I should get over it."

"That's not what's happening," Athena said, looking off the direction his car went.

"She's right," Emma stated, her hands in her pockets. "You're all right. Audrey was right about my dad. I went to see him and found him drunk in a bar with his car packed. He was just gonna leave without saying anything. He said we were the same. I don't want to be like him."

"Then don't," Athena sighed, letting her arms dangle. "It can be that simple sometimes."

Emma nodded thoughtfully, "You were right too. I was a bad friend to you. I was only thinking about me and my pain when I left, I didn't bother to think about what you went through on that dock. I thought I could come back and just pretend everything was normal again. But I don't think it ever will be. But I want to be here for you, help you. And if Will is part of that, I'm okay with it. Because I want to be a better friend to you and I want you to be happy."

"Thank you for saying that," Athena swallowed the lump in her throat. "But it's not that easy for me, Emma. You were a victim, and you rose above it. You got hurt by Piper. But me – I wasn't a victim, I was the one who hurt someone that night. Piper turned me into a killer. And you were there to witness it. To all the others, even if they know what happened, to them I'm just a badass who got rid of the masked killer. But to you, who saw exactly what I'm capable of, I'm a murderer."

"No, you're not," Emma swore, stepping forward and hugging her. "You're not a murderer. Piper was, and you killing her saved our lives. You're a hero."

"I don't believe that," Athena whimpered, letting the tears flow steadily.

"You don't have to right now," Emma whispered. "I'll believe it for you."

 


	5. Ayahuasca

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Second trailer here;  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vd0KZDPGC90&t=1s

By the time Athena's alarm went off that morning, she had been laying awake staring up at the ceiling blankly for an hour and a half. She and Emma had spent at least forty five minutes on her front porch crying and making up for all the shit in between them. And she had gotten to a few conclusions as a result.

Emma was determined to be a better friend and be there for her.

She may need extra help to get over what happened on the dock that night.

And 3. Emma had given her blessing for Athena to give Will a chance.

She didn't know what to do with all of these revelations, but there was no time like the present to start tackling them. So, she got up and dressed herself in a racer back sundress and grabbed a sweater on her way out.

"Honey!" Diana called from the kitchen. "I made you a sandwich for lunch."

She skipped into the kitchen to grab the brown bag, "Thanks, Diana."

Diana smiled, happy to have a relationship with her estranged daughter now, "Have a good day at school."

"I'll try but it's boring as hell," Athena scoffed. "But that's okay."

"True," Diana nodded. "Now, get going before you're late."

"See you later," she bid before walking out to her car.

* * *

"Hey," Will approached with caution towards Athena at her locker. "Missed you at the gym today."

"I figured I'd take a breather day, Blue Eyes," she greeted him with a smile. "It's not a message to get lost."

"Blue eyes," he repeated dubiously. "That's a new one."

Athena shrugged, "I guess it was time for a bit of change. Good change."

"Good change?" he repeated once again. "Like what?"

Instead of answering with words, she leaned up to him and kissed his lips. Will was shocked to say the least but he didn't waste time thinking about it. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her closer, tilting his lips over hers.

Athena smiled as she pulled away, seeing Will's grin, "I think I can handle this change you speak of."

Athena laughed, "I hope so."

"I have to go pick up some stuff from my locker," he told her, letting go of her. "I'll see you in class?"

"You will," she confirmed, nodding as he left.

"So, you and  _that_  guy?" she jumped when she heard Gustavo's voice behind her.

She turned around, "Yeah, me and  _him_."

"Is he at least a good guy?" Stavo asked, seeming a bit protective. "I'd hate to punch his lights out for hurting you."

"Somehow, I doubt that," she chuckled, sharing a smile with him. "Did you want something?"

"To give you something," he said, handing her a cylindrical tube.

She pulled off the lid and pulled out a rolled up poster of some kind. She unrolled the paper to see a beautiful drawing of her. It was full sized, not just a portrait like the ones he'd done of the others. Her hair blew in the wind with leaves around her. She stood in a flowing black dress, her feet bare, and a dark cloak around her, also blowing in the wind. She had beautiful and large black feathered wings behind her as well. She was standing in a grave yard with a long staffed scythe in one hand and a dripping heart in the other. She looked closer at her face and saw someone determined and strong and beautiful.

She looked up at him, "You drew me as the Angel of Death?"

"Well, yeah," he seemed embarrassed and sentimental for once. "To me, you're the strongest and more beautiful of the Lakewood Eight. You're the savior of everyone."

Athena looked back at the artwork and would never admit that her eyes grew misty, "This is actually really great, Stavo. I can't believe you're giving this to me."

"You deserve something that shows how brave you are," he told you. "I know I can be creepy and obsessive. Especially around you. But I promise there's a good reason."

"Reason?" she questioned, rolling up the poster and carefully replacing it. She put the tube in her backpack. "Are you going to share?"

He seemed like he wanted to say something, but ultimately shook his head, "Not yet. I don't want to get ahead of myself."

She gave him a look, "You know you can trust me, right?"

"It's not about that. I'll tell you all about it sometime," he answered her cryptically.

"Okay," she said patiently. "I'll see you in study hall. Thank you for the drawing, it's beautiful."

"You're welcome."

* * *

Athena sat at a round table with Brooke, Emma and Audrey in study hall, sketching another dias de los muertos skull – her third draft of sorts. She just couldn't get it quite right. Hoping that Brooke next to her wasn't paying attention, she set it aside and pulled out the paperwork she'd been working on for a couple weeks now. It was all filled out at this point, but she hadn't sent it in. She stared at the words at the top of the page.

_Inmate Visiting Application._

Sighing, she tucked it away, starting when her phone buzzed in her pocket. She pulled it out and nearly went white when she read the message.

_Will Belmont? Really? Don't you know that the people who love you get butchered, killer? Enjoy your time with him while it lasts._

Emma's voice started her out of her reverie, "So, all of you can come to Kieran's party tonight, right?"

"Athena?" Brooke looked at her.

"Yeah," she and Audrey stammered together.

"Guest list is devised. Texts sent," Brooke listed. Her phone vibrated. "Look, another RSVP."

Their teacher cut into their conversation, "It's called Study Hall for a reason, ladies."

Emma blushed and ducked her head, going back to her homework.

Audrey leaned back in her chair towards the girls and whispered, "What do you guys think of that Stavo dude? He seems kinda off."

"Come on," Athena groaned. "Lay off, okay? He's good."

"I think he's a total weirdo," Brooke commented. "Plus, he has this whole fan-boy thing with the Lakewood Eight. He's kind of obsessed with us, actually."

"Seriously, lay off," Athena warned, looking at Brooke and Audrey. "He's just different. The same could be said for any of us at some point. And everyone in this damn town is obsessed with us."

Audrey got up out of her chair and headed out. Emma looked at her, "Where are you going?"

"Restroom. Be right back," she excused, walking out.

Emma looked at Athena and smiled lightly, "So, Athena, are you coming tonight with Will?"

Brooke sat up straighter, "Is that finally happening?"

Athena rolled her eyes, "Keep your eyes in your sockets and don't get ahead of yourselves. I'm not rushing into anything super serious when I still have a lot of my own issues to work on. It's just, after Emma and I talked, I figured it would be okay to work on things with him while I work on things with me."

"Whatever, it's finally happening, my work here is done," Brooke smirked.

"Thanks for the pushing, Brooke," Athena teased her.

They were cut off by the fire alarm going off. The teacher told them all to leave their belongings there and leave the room quickly. The girls did as told and walked around in the hallway until the alarm went off.

* * *

"So, you're going to the party at Emma's right?" Will was at Athena's locker by the end of the day.

"Yes, of course," Athena smirked, opening her locker so she could put all her stuff away.

"I was thinking we could go together," he hinted, leaning against the closed locker next to her.

"Why are you so nervous?" she teased him, leaning over to give him a kiss. "Of course we'll go together. But I'll meet you there, since you know, I live right next door."

"I think I remember that," he smirked.

She wasn't looking as she stuffed random folders in her locker and one slipped open faced onto the floor. Will, helpfully, knelt down to pick it up and squinted when he saw the papers, "Inmate Visitation Application?"

Athena gaped, at a loss, "Um... that's – exactly what it looks like..."

"Are you serious?" Will asked, completely flabbergasted. "You want to see that bastard?"

"It's not like that," Athena quickly excused, grabbing the folder and putting it in her back pack. "It's just, with everything going on, I want to work on my issues with what we all went through three months ago."

"And Alonzo Contos is part of that?" Will asked.

"I mean, yeah, I need answers," she said. "Piper's last words were 'Daddy's little girl' while she was looking right at me. There has to be a bigger connection between them that will fill in all the blanks."

"What blanks?" he leaned closer.

" _Me_  mostly," Athena explained. "As much as I hate to admit it, if I want to know who I am now, and understand my life as it is, I need to understand everything that lead up to the person I've become. And that includes understanding why the Contoses took me from the Tylers, and how Piper played into it. I can't exactly ask Gretchen. Abby never knew that I wasn't legally adopted so she doesn't know. Alonzo is the only one that I can get a hold of. I just want to look him in the eye, and have him tell me – why? Does that make sense?"

Will sighed, slowly nodding, "Yeah, I guess. Doesn't mean I like it. You have no idea what he's going to say to you."

"No, I don't," she agreed. "But I do know that somewhere in his twisted little mind, is a father who sees me as his daughter. Hopefully, that's enough for him to give me the answers I want."

"Then I support you," he brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Thank you," she smiled, leaning up to kiss him again.

* * *

Brooke and Athena walked into Emma's house together, dressed and ready for the party. They made their way into the kitchen, seeing Eli – Kieran's cousin that Athena hadn't met yet – hanging a birthday banner.

"Well, if it isn't Emma's co-conspirator," Brooke commented, sitting at the kitchen island. She handed Emma the large jug of tequila.

"Oh, so sweet of you, but you didn't have to bring anything," Emma commented, taking the tequila and setting it on the counter behind her.

"We didn't," Athena answered. "It was on the porch. Didn't see who left it there."

"Whoever did knows their tequila," Eli chimed in. "That's extra anejo. Like, super aged, super expensive. It's, like, three hundred bucks a pop."

Emma picked up the card attacked and read out loud, "A pricey birthday bottle from south of the border. Shots are on me. Jake."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "That's one way to tell everyone you're back from Mexico. He's such an attention whore. I need a drink. Who's bar-tending?"

Eli raised his hand, "That would be me."

Emma quickly grabbed the plastic tube of red solo cups from the counter and hid them behind her back, "I actually left the cups in the car. Will you go get them?"

"Um, sure," he walked out.

"Okay, what was that?" Brooke asked once he was out of the room.

"Something almost happened with Eli, but I just want to have fun tonight," Emma explained. "I don't want it to be a thing."

"Details, now," Brooke chuckled.

Emma shrugged, "There are no details, really, because nothing actually happened."

"Emma, you wouldn't be telling us if it was nothing," Athena said. "Spill."

"Um... we were hanging that banner and he fell, and then, he, like, grabbed me, and I think he wanted to kiss me," Emma stammered through her explanation.

Brooke grinned salaciously, "Did you want him to kiss you?"

Emma gaped like a fish, "I'm... I'm with Kieran. It's Kieran's  _birthday_."

"That's not exactly a yes or no, Emma," Athena pointed out.

"Right," Brooke agreed. "You cannot be starting something with..."

Eli walking into the kitchen again made them hush down, "Hey, I couldn't find the cups."

"I—I found them," Emma laughed nervously.

"Great," he smiled at Brooke, "what can I make you?"

Brooke grabbed a random glass on the counter, "What's this?"

"Oh, it's mine," Emma volunteered. "It's vodka and..."

"I'll take it," Brooke droned, downing the liquid like a champ.

Athena helped Emma play hostess a little bit as people started coming over. Brooke was mostly sulking in the corner. Audrey kept an eye out in the front window for when Kieran showed up. Athena smiled when she saw Zoe and Noah looking happy together in the living room. She was walking around the stairs when hands wrapped around her waist.

She fought a little until she twisted and saw Will's face. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Please don't sneak up on me. I may drop kick you."

"That's your favorite threat," he commented before saying, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she accepted his kiss, but their coupling was interrupted when Stavo came over with a plate full of shots.

"We're all supposed to do one when Kieran walks in," he said.

Athena accepted one but Will shook his head, "I've done enough of that kind of partying to last me a while."

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. She then smiled at Stavo, "Thanks again for the poster." She looked up at Will and explained, "He drew me as the Angel of Death, it's really impressive."

"Did he?" Will asked with a strained smile, still feeling jealous.

"Yeah," Stavo shrugged, a bit embarrassed.

"Yo! Kieran alert!" Audrey warned everyone. "Coming up the driveway!"

Everyone hunkered down and the lights went off. When he rang the doorbell, Emma called for him to walk in and almost as soon as the door opened the lights went on and everyone shouted surprise and took their shot. Emma handed Kieran his own and smiled, but Kieran didn't look as thrilled as she thought he would be.

With the party in full swing, Will pulled Athena closer and asked, "Don't you think his obsession with you is just a little weird?"

She half-glared at him, "He's not obsessed. And not just with me. He's interested in all of us because of our stories. He's a horror comic book fan. He listens to Noah's podcast. Noah can be a bit obsessive but because he's already part of the Lakewood Eight, it's okay?"

"That's not what I'm saying," Will tried to defend himself. "I just – I feel like he pays extra attention to you."

"I'm just more receptive to him then the rest of you," Athena explained. "We're both artists, there's a comrade thing there. And honestly, I think there's something else to it. But I really don't think he's malevolent."

"Just be careful," Will requested. "For my peace of mind."

"Just for you," she teased. "Because you're jealous and it's a little cute."

Will rolled his eyes but didn't deny the jealously claims.

* * *

Almost like clockwork, everyone had begun to get sick. People were throwing up all over the house. Will, of course, was practically the only one that wasn't sick and helped Athena into a chair at the dining table. "What the Hell is going on?"

"I still think we need to get everyone to the hospital, just to be safe," Audrey was saying as she walked back into the room from vomiting.

Brooke groaned, "I haven't eaten a thing tonight. My bet is, it's Jake's tequila."

"Score one for the blonde," Stavo commented from the entrance. "Back in Phoenix, it was a thing to go to the desert and trip on Ayahuasca. Did it myself once. It had the same pungent smell as that tequila. Made you hurl, too. I think we might have been dosed."

"Why would anyone do this on purpose?" Athena asked, leaning heavily and lethargically into Will's chest.

"Ayahuasca," Noah peered at his phone. "Used as a spiritual medicine in ceremonies among the indigenous peoples of Amazonian Peru."

Stavo nodded, "Yeah. So, if that's what it is, puking should stop soon. It's fairly harmless."

Noah continued to read, "Individuals often feel they gain access to higher dimensions and make contact with spiritual guides."

"Meaning we're going to start hallucinating?" Athena asked incredulously, not looking forward to that.

"Or not," Stavo told her. "It affects everyone differently. Some people feel wired. Others get tired and pass out. Me? I got super relaxed. No inhibitions. It all depends on what's buried inside you. It brings that truth to the surface."

Emma eyed him, "You seem to know a lot about a drug that you only did once."

He looked at her, "Suspicion. Paranoia. Ayahuasca can do that, too."

"Look, if we're all about to start hallucinating, we need to keep everyone inside this house," Audrey insisted. "We need to be safe."

Emma nodded, "Yes. I will go get everyone who is outside yakking in my front yard."

Stavo offered to help but Audrey immediately jumped in and followed her friend outside. Athena groaned when a wave a nausea hit her and she grabbed Will's arm, "I think I'm gonna be sick again."

"Okay, let's get you to a bathroom," he readily grabbed her arms and pulled her up, gently leading her to the upstairs bathroom away from most of the other people so she could have privacy.

As soon as he closed the door, she was throwing up the lining of her stomach into the porcelain throne. Will pulled her hair back and grabbed one of Emma's hair ties to hold her hair into a bun at the nape of her neck. Dutifully, he grabbed a towel and got it wet before handing it to her when she was done. She thanked him, using the towel to wipe her sweating face down and her mouth. "You don't have to take care of me, I'm sure that this isn't a pretty sight."

"You're always pretty," he answered easily. "Besides, it's part of my duties to take care of you when you're sick."

Athena smiled, "Then can you see if Emma has an extra toothbrush in here? I think I'm done getting sick."

"Sure," he answered, rummaging through the drawers before opening a new toothbrush and getting it ready with paste for her. She thanked him and started brushing her teeth vigorously.

When she felt done, she set the brush aside and cupped her hands under the running sink water to wash her mouth out. When she shut it off and looked back up in the mirror, she saw Will behind her but it wasn't really him. His head was violently and disgustingly split in two, down to the middle of his torso. She immediately screamed, covering her mouth with both hands.

He reached out to her, speaking out loud in his own voice, "Athena? It's me!"

"No, no, no, no," she whimpered, backing up so quickly that she smacked into the wall. She slid down onto her but and folded her knees to her chest, "No, no, no, this can't be happening. You're not dead. You can't be."

"No, I'm not," he told her, still gruesomely in half. "I'm not dead, sweetheart. I'm right here with you."

"I can't – I can't lose you too," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. She clenched them shut and pressed her forehead to her knees. "I can't do it. You can't be dead."

"Look at me, Athena, I'm okay," she felt his arms around her. He had leaned his back against the tub next to her and pulled her body between his legs, on his lap. He rocked her as she cried. "I'm okay."

She sobbed, "I'm such a monster – I'm not safe."

"That's not true," he denied.

"Yes it is," she hissed, looking up. There more she babbled, the less sense she made as her words slurred together. "I'm poison. I'm cursed. Whoever I care about – they're gonna get targeted. They're going to get killed. Because I'm a killer – because I killed Piper."

Before she could keep ranting, he leaned down and kissed her, forcing her to close her eyes again. When he pulled away and she opened her eyes, she saw him as normal again, as himself, alive and well. He cupped her face and held her still so she had to look at him and see that he was okay, "Look at me, sweetheart. You're not poison or cursed or any of that. Nothing is going to happen, and if it does, it's not going to be because you killed Piper. You did exactly the right thing, you hear me?"

"You're alive?" she panted, her heart still racing. "You're okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," he assured her. "Just try to calm down, okay? Try to rest. I'll take care of you."

She nodded and laid her head in the crook of his neck and closed her eyes. Next thing she knew, the cops were bursting into the house because Emma was attacked by someone outside in the woods. They had come upstairs and found Will picking her up off the floor. They gave him a blanket to lay over her, but by now the drug was wearing off and she felt more lucid.

Her mother and Aunt Abby had rushed into the house and embraced her when they saw her. Diana worried over her, "Sweetie, are you all right? How are you feeling?"

"M'fine," she mumbled. "Pretty boy took care of me. Lucky bastard didn't drink the spiked tequila."

"Thank you," Abby patted Will's shoulder genuinely. "It's nice to see you again, Will."

"You too," he answered back, keeping a strong arm around Athena.

The teens were all rounded up in the living room. Will sat Athena down on an armchair and perched himself on the arm of it. Diana and Abby stood right behind them, still seeming worried. Sheriff Acosta looked at all of them after they had tried to run down the situation for him, "So, you're telling me that you all got together for a big party, but someone, who wasn't here, dosed you? That's your story."

"It's not a story, it's what happened," Brooke said.

Emma insisted from her spot on the couch with Kieran and Brooke, "Whatever we were on, I was almost stabbed. Okay? That happened. If my dad hadn't shown up, I would have died!"

Acosta looked at Emma's father and asked him, "Did you see the person that attacked her?" The man slowly shook his head as he looked at his daughter with concern. The Sheriff looked around to the others, "Did anyone in this room see Emma get attacked?"

People looked at her and slowly shook their heads. Kieran kneaded her neck, "I passed out early. When I woke up, the cops were here."

"I didn't even realize she was outside," Eli said when the Sheriff turned his eyes to him.

"We were upstairs," Will volunteered, laying his arm across Athena's shoulders.

"I heard her screaming," Noah said, "but I didn't actually see her, or anyone else."

Brooke sighed and looked at her friend, "Em, I saw a lot of weird stuff tonight, too. It felt really real at the time, but it was just the Ayahuasca, or whatever he put in that stuff. Yet another night ruined by Jake Fitzgerald."

This seemed to catch Sheriff Acosta's attention, "Wait, Jake Fitzgerald was here? Tonight?"

"No," Athena elaborated, "he just left the fucked up tequila on the doorstep. Even left a card with his name on it."

"Look, if Emma says that someone wearing a Brandon James mask attacked her," Audrey cut in, "then someone wearing a Brandon James mask attacked her!"

The Sheriff eyed her, "Really? Any idea who?"

Audrey glared at him, "Maybe you should ask your son! He's the one who seems to enjoy drawing her covered in blood."

The Sheriff eyed his son who shrunk under his gaze. Athena felt a protective side to her coming out as she spoke, "Leave him alone, Audrey.  _God_ , give it a rest."

"What?" Audrey snapped at her. "Why are you defending him?"

"Because he's my friend!" she raised her croaking voice. "He's done nothing to you but be different. A lot of people would say you're different too. People have bullied you for it. So, where do you get off judging him when you don't know a thing about him?"

"Okay, okay," the Sheriff broke up the fight, "that's enough. Now, whoever needs it, will get a ride home from an officer here. No one is driving themselves."

"Can I  _walk_  myself?" Athena asked sarcastically as teens were shuffled out of the house.

The Sheriff, instead of acting stern, turned concerned as he bent on his knew in front of her, "How are you feeling? You don't look so good."

"I'm fine," she insisted, standing up on unsteady feet. Will immediately wrapped an arm around her waist and volunteered to help her mom and Aunt set her up in her room. Diana and Abby led him upstairs and left them alone to go grab water, food and towels.

Will helped her lay back in bed and flinched when her foot hit her open sketchbook. He picked it up and paused when he saw the incredibly detailed dia de los muertos skull, "This is really good, Athena."

She frowned when she saw what he was holding, "Don't look at that. It's not done yet."

"Okay," he laughed, closing it. He knew how meticulous she was about her artwork. He put it away on her desk and sat next to her on the bed.

"It's for you," she murmured a bit drowsily. "Because of the scar."

As if it's invisible ears were burning, Will could physically feel the crude  _'B4'_  scar on his back, "I don't get it."

"A tattoo," she smiled loopily. "It can cover it up, make it cool and erase what happened. I thought so anyway. But I can't get it right."

He felt touched that she cared so much for something he couldn't even see unless he curved in front of a mirror. He stroked his fingers through her hair, "I love it. Are you feeling better?"

"I don't feel sick I just feel so tired," she murmured, leaning into his hand. "Thank you for being so great tonight. I didn't really want our relationship to start out like this."

"Don't worry about that," he assured her. "You'll just owe me later."

She giggled, closing her eyes, "It's a deal."

"Here," they heard Diana and Abby walk back into the room. Diana set a bottle of water and a tray of crackers onto the nightstand and Abby put towels on the chest at the foot of her bed. Diana sighed, "Will, honey, I know you didn't have anything to drink tonight, but it's really late and I don't feel comfortable having you drive home alone. I called your mother and told her that you're welcome to stay here for the night. I made up Ian's room for you."

"Thank you, Mrs. Tyler," Will said graciously.

"Honey, do you think you can change into pajamas on your own?" Diana asked her daughter, brushing her hair back.

But Athena was already sound asleep, looking serene and peaceful. Abby offered to get her ready for bed so Diana walked Will down the hall and set him up Ian's bedroom. "Thank you for taking care of her, Will. You're a good boy."

"It was no problem, Mrs. Tyler," Will answered politely.

"Can I ask you something Will?" Diana asked.

"Of course," he accepted, sitting on the bed and pulling off his shoes.

"Are you and Athena in a relationship?" she asked, almost shyly. "It seems you two have been drifting closer for a while."

Will almost blushed but nodded, "We've been close friends for a while, it just kind of became a relationship. It hasn't been long, if you're worried about her not mentioning it. It just happened."

"I trust you, Will, don't worry," Diana assured him with a smile. "You're a good boy, like I said."

"Thanks, Mrs. Tyler," he replied bashfully.

"I think you can call me Diana by now," the woman smiled. "Goodnight, Will."

"Goodnight, Diana."

* * *

When Athena woke up the next morning, by some miracle, she had no headache or any other aches to speak of. She stretched with a smile as she remembered some of the night before. But her smile fell when she remembered the rest of it. How was she supposed to explain to Will what she saw? She hoped it didn't come up. She just quickly got ready for school and grabbed what she needed to pile into her bag and made her way downstairs. Normally, she would have called out her good morning to Diana and walked right out the front door. But she paused when she heard voices talking in the kitchen, one of them male. Till was always out to work by now and Ian was at college, so she didn't know who it could be.

She shouldn't have been surprised to see Diana and Will laughing over coffee at the kitchen counter. "Good morning?"

"Morning sleepy head," Diana smiled. "I have coffee and banana nut muffins."

"They're good," Will said over a mouthful of muffin, taking a sip of coffee to wash it down. "How are you feeling?"

"Bright and sunny," she answered, taking the coffee Diana handed her and pouring it into her travel mug. She took a bite out of the muffin and hummed, "This is good."

"Thank you," Diana perked up. "Now, Athena, about last night."

"It was a freak thing," Athena rushed to assure her. "I'm not a raging teen who drinks the nights away, I swear."

"I know you're a well behaved girl, Athena," Diana answered diplomatically. "I just want you to be careful in the future."

"I will be, I promise," in a moment of emotion, Athena walked around the island counter and hugged Diana. "Don't worry about me."

Afraid to break the moment by bringing attention to the intimacy, Diana said nothing but did hug her daughter back. When they pulled away she composed herself, "Have a good day at school, kids."

"I'll drive," Will volunteered, taking her hand and opening the door for her.

"So, Diana let you spend the night?" Athena blushed in the passenger's seat.

"She could tell that we're... together," Will faltered when he didn't know what to call them.

"Don't freak out over labels," Athena warned him. "We can be whatever we want to be."

"What do you want to be?" he asked with feigned nonchalance.

"Together," she teased, using his term from earlier.

"Help me out here," he begged as he drove.

"Boyfriend and girlfriend," she sang tauntingly. "I think you earned at least that after last night."

"About last night..." Will took the chance to ask what had been burned into his mind. "What was going on with you? What were you seeing?"

Athena grew quiet and glum, staring at her lap as the car sped over the streets of Lakewood. "I saw... what could have happened to you if I hadn't... if I had failed to save you that day."

Will flinched as he remembered exactly what day she was talking about. If he thought about it enough, he could still feel the ropes around his body and hear the rotating blades above his head. "That wouldn't have been your fault."

"It was bad, Will," she whispered. "You were so... mangled, practically cut in half. And I don't know... after all this time spent getting to know each other and care for each other, I don't know what would happen to me if something like that happened again. I barely got through watching Elena die, I can't do that with you too."

"You won't have to," he said soothingly, reaching over to take her hand. "I'm going to say it again while you're sober enough to understand me. You are  _not_  poison. You are  _not_  cursed. You haven't done anything to deserve what happened or if something happened to me."

Athena's mind drifted to the text she gotten, practically warning her that the people she let in would get killed because she killed Piper. She wanted to tell him, but she also wanted it to be nothing.

"Do you hear me?" Will asked her, squeezing her fingers in his hand. "I don't want you thinking that you're inviting pain just by being with me."

"What if it's not over?" she asked. "What if Emma really wasn't just chased by a Brandon James look-a-like last night and there's another killer out there?"

"Then we'll catch them too," he answered as he pulled into a parking spot at the school. "Come on, let's get a good seat to watch Brooke get finalist for Lady of the Lake."

"Frickin' Beauty Pageants," Athena groaned, letting Will take her hand as they walked into the Performing Arts Center. They got a seat within the third row, practically level with the stage and waited as people filled into the room and took their own seats.

The woman running the whole thing grabbed her microphone and caught everyone's attention, talking about the history of the pageant and what they're looking for in their Lady of Lake winner. Athena faked a yawn and laid her head on Will's shoulder, earning a laugh from him and a slight scold, "Be nice."

"And that's why it gives me great pleasure to announce the five finalists that will compete in the up-and-coming Lady of the Lake Pageant. As I call out your names, please come to the stage. Andrea Conway."

There were some claps around but Athena was content cuddling into Will's side, completely succumbing to their new relationship.

"Jamie Blumhardt. Jennifer Gutierrez. Zoe Vaughn."

Athena actually exerted effort to clap for her new found friend.

"And last but not least, our final contestant... Brooke Maddox."

Athena cheered for the blonde as she sauntered up on stage in her white dress and made her way to the center of the contestants.

"And there you have it. The five lovely finalists to compete for the title; 'Lady of the Lake.'"

The crowd kept cheering as the crew members on stage pulled on their large ropes to release the banner above the contestants heads. But something heavier gave way and some dark, thick, red liquid started dripping over Brooke. She stood frozen as the banner fell completely and a bloody body fell in a lump in front of her. Brooke let out the most shrill, chilling scream as the crowd started shouting and screaming as well.

Athena felt cold as she stood with Will and forced her way to the front of the stage, staring at the face of the body on the ground.

"Oh my god," she pushed herself into Will's side, wrapping her arms around his torso, "it's Jake."


	6. Lockdown

Athena felt like everything was moving in slow motion. She just stared at Jake's face covered in blood until she felt someone shaking her shoulders and saw Audrey, "Hey, Emma and I are going to try to check on Brooke. They're corralling us into the Learning Center."

Athena gaped like a fish, looking over at Will with concern. He had just watched his best friend's dead body fall to the ground. He kissed her reassuringly, "Go on. I'll see you later with everyone else."

"Okay, text me if you need me, for  _anything_ ," she told him before walking off with Audrey, finding Emma and trying to make their way to the hallway that lead straight onto the stage.

Miss Lang was ushering kids into the gym, "It's gonna be fine, you guys. We just need everyone to gather in the gym until we know what to do next..." She put her hands up when she saw them coming, "Wrong way, ladies."

"We need to talk to Brooke," Audrey said.

"Ms. Lang, please!" Emma begged.

The teacher took a moment before caving, "Of course. Come with me." She ushered them through the crowds.

Emma tried to rush to Brooke when they saw her but was held back by deputies, "Brooke, are you okay?"

"No, I'm not finished," Maggie warned her daughter, holding her hand out. She had a camera in her other hand. "It's evidence. It can't be compromised."

Another cop walked in, "Excuse me, Doc. I need Emma and Miss Jensen, and Miss Tyler."

"Why?" Audrey asked.

Brooke whimpered, "No, please don't make them leave."

"No, we're her friends," Emma protested. "She needs us right now. Someone should stay."

"I'm almost finished, Dwayne," Maggie supported.

Ms. Lang chimed in with, "The girl is in shock. She's gonna need a hand to help clean up."

"Okay," he answered. "Emma, you and Athena are high up on the Sheriff's list for questioning. You come with me. Jensen, you stay. Let's go."

"What? Wait," Maggie interrupted, gesturing to Athena. "I don't want her alone with him for questioning."

"What?" Athena asked. "Maggie, I'll be fine. I promise I won't go Django Unchained on him."

Maggie looked like she still wanted argue but just nodded.

"Let me just say something to Brooke," Athena compromised, walking back to the very edge of the blood. "Brooke? Look at me, honey." Brooke numbly lifted her eyes from Jake's body to her. Athena wiped away her tear and spoke with conviction, "I  _know_. Okay? I know. I know how this feels. I know exactly what you're thinking right now. But this is not your fault. You were not asking for this. There was absolutely nothing you could have done differently. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this. I know that everything feels like it's frozen and crashing down around you at the same time. And it will never be okay, but I promise you will be able to put one foot in front of the other and keep walking. I'll be here for you. We all will be."

After that, she and Emma followed the deputy and Emma was lead into the learning center while Athena was held right outside the door to be questioned after Noah. Through the crack in the door, she could hear their conversation.

"We were friends. Well, since October," Noah was explaining. "Before that, we were, I don't know, not friends. But stuff like that, what we went through with Piper... stuff like that changes you. It changed us."

"Of course," the Sheriff responded. "I want to thank you for sitting down with me. This must be rough on you."

"Well, we're kind of used to..." Noah started to joke, but trailed off, clearing his throat. "Yeah, actually, it's... it's awful."

"I'll keep this brief, then. When was the last time you saw Jake?"

"At a party, the other night, like, five days ago."

"So, you hadn't seen Jake in five days?"

"Well, nobody had. He'd had a fight with Brooke, and she thought he was playing some sort of elaborate game of hide-and-seek with her."

"For five days," the Sheriff repeated.

Noah gulped, "You have to understand Jake. I mean... he went to great lengths to be a pain in the ass sometimes."

"Must've been a little worried," the Sheriff said. "Athena even filed a report."

"She did?" Noah's head peaked up. "I didn't know that."

He nodded, "I find it hard to believe that she was the only one who was worried."

"With something as terrible as this, people would rather believe anything else is happening. But, now, we know what's happening, don't we?"

"What exactly do you think is happening?"

"Now that Emma's home, Piper's accomplice is finishing the job."

After that, the interview wrapped up and Noah was lead out. When he saw Athena, the friends immediately hugged and he asked her, "Why didn't you tell us that you filed a missing persons report for Jake?"

She sighed, "I guess I didn't want to worry any of you if I was just being paranoid. I just asked the Sheriff to look into where Jake could be after he was such a no show."

Noah nodded, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she let out a shaky breath. "Do me a favor?"

"Anything," he promised immediately.

"Check on Will for me," she requested. "Let him know where I am."

"Of course," he swore as he was lead away.

"Athena, nice to see you again," the new Sheriff greeted her, leading her to a seat at the table. "How are you holding up?"

"Honestly? It's a bit too surreal to sink in right now," she admitted.

"That makes sense," he responded. "It seems that none of you saw or heard from Jake Fitzgerald since a party five days ago."

She shrugged, "Yeah, it's like I said when I came to your office the other day. We hadn't seen him. But for the most part, we didn't think anything of it. Most of us thought he was just sulking after he and Brooke broke up. I thought I was just being paranoid. And then he started texting her, or so we thought."

The Sheriff peaked, "He was texting her?"

"It could have been someone with his phone," Athena theorized. "Plus we thought that tequila from last night was from him, but it could have been from anyone. It's obvious that it's Piper's accomplice."

"It's obvious, is it?" he turned back on her.

"Let me ask you something, Miguel," she tilted her head, peering at him. "Are you going to be more like Sheriff Hudson or are you going to be more like Detective Brock?"

"Tell me the difference and I'll tell you," he said.

"Sheriff Hudson cared about us and keeping us safe, doing his own work and catching the right killer," Athena described, her mouth turning down. "Detective Brock – was more interested in furthering her career and closing the case for PR value. She didn't bother to listen to what we were telling her. I don't want this to be another situation of my friends getting killed one by one while I do your job for you."

"Do my job for me?" he repeated dubiously. "Was that what you were doing when you shot Piper Shaw?"

Athena's face hardened to steel, "You don't get to talk about that."

"It's more than relevant," he defended himself.

"What? You think that because of what happened that night – maybe I'm mentally unstable, about to snap at any moment?" she posed for him. "You don't get to put me in a box. You don't get to speculate about my mental state. You don't get to belittle me, sitting across from you here, when my friend's body has just been dropped in front of the whole school."

"I don't mean to sound like I'm judging you," he tried to appease her. "I hope you feel like you can come to me with any relevant information."

"I'm going to be a target," she mulled over. "Last time, it was Emma. And Piper targeted me just because I ruined her work by stopping Will from getting sliced in half. Imagine what her accomplice – arguably the closest person to her – is going to do because I killed her."

"Are you telling me that you fear for your safety?" he asked, for some reason, seeming quite worried himself.

"And the safety of everyone around me," she answered. "But I'll tell you something else, I will fight like hell to protect the people I care about from getting hurt by this psycho."

"All right," he said. "That's all for now. But," he pulled out a card from his wallet and handed it to her, "if you need to tell me anything, or if you feel unsafe, please call me."

She took the card, "I'll think about it. See ya later, Miguel."

* * *

Audrey let her head fall back on the tile of the girls' locker room behind her, her mind whirring over the guilt eating at her brain. She knew Jake was dead this whole time, that the killing was going to start again. That shit was about to hit the fan. "I should have said something."

From the running shower, Brooke croaked, "What?"

Audrey thought quick, "Are you okay in there?"

"No," she mumbled, shutting off the shower and walking out in a towel. "No, it just feels like this awful nightmare. I mean, it just doesn't feel real. We were literally just texting."

Audrey did a double take, her face dropping, "Wait, he texted you?"

"Yesterday," she cried, walking over and picking up her phone to hand it over. "See for yourself."

Audrey scrolled through the recent texts on her phone with Jake until she got to the last one, "... you'll see me tomorrow. Okay, that's..."

"I just keep staring at it," Brooke whined. "He said I'd see him today, and then this happened. It's just... it's too weird!"

Audrey sighed, "Maybe this text didn't come from Jake."

Brooke looked over at her, "What do you mean? It had to be him."

"Unless it happened after," Audrey suggested. "I mean... I mean, unless it came from his..."

"His killer..." Brooke whispered. "Is this really all happening again?"

* * *

When she was lead into the learning center, Athena immediately was met by Will's arms in the middle of the room. To avoid a spectacle, she pulled him into a row of bookshelves, "Are you okay?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly. "I keep thinking that I should have noticed that it was weird that he hadn't been around more. I should have said something."

 

"How were any of us supposed to know?" she asked him. "It was like Jake to play games like this. We thought he was texting Brooke, we thought he gave us that tequila. This isn't your fault."

Will clenched his eyes shut, "He was my best friend, Athena."

"I know," she whispered, letting him put his head on her shoulder and holding him close to her. "I'm here for you."

He took his moment and then sniffed, pulling away. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, "What did the Sheriff ask you?"

"Usual stuff," she shrugged. "He was a little weird at the end there. Gave me his card."

"What?" Will asked. "He didn't do that for any of us."

"I don't know, it doesn't matter," she said. "He gave it to me after I told him that I think I may be targeted."

"You? Why?" Will asked, his grip tightening on her waist.

"Because whoever is doing this was close to Piper," she pointed it out. "And I shot her in the face."

Will's face dropped with the realization that she was right. But he cupped her face and swore, "I won't let anything happen to you."

"I won't let anything happen to you either, Pretty boy," she smirked.

For once, he didn't comment on the nick name and just kissed her before leading her to the table. There were whispers and crazed murmurs of excitement throughout the group but she ignored them, sitting by Gustavo.

The teen had looked worried when he saw her, "Hey, are you okay? How's Brooke?"

"Brooke is a wreck," she answered. "I don't have time to be one right now."

"What's with all the brouhaha?" Noah asked, seated across from her as people started excitedly moving around and talking to each other in worried chants.

"People are freaking because someone said they're searching lockers," Eli explained.

Athena saw Kieran's face drop, "Oh, no."

"What?" Noah asked.

"I—I have something in my locker I'd rather the cops didn't find," he explained.

"Uh, do you know how suspicious that sounds?" Noah asked him sarcastically.

"Yeah, I gotta get to my locker," was all he said back.

"How are you gonna do that?" Emma asked from his side.

"I—I need help," he looked desperate, heading towards the exit.

"Don't look at me," Eli shrugged.

Athena saw Emma pull Kieran aside and ask him what was in his locker but he just said he'd be back. Noah went off after him, and Audrey and Zoe went to be a distraction. After they left, Athena got up to check on Emma, "Hey, you look pretty shaken up."

"Yeah, you could say that again," Emma pulled her into the book stacks and pulled something out of her backpack.

"What is that?" Athena asked.

Emma turned over the cell phone and showed her the sharpie label claiming it as Jake's. Athena's eyes widened comically, "Holy shit, the killer planted Jake's phone on you."

Emma put it away and ran a hand through her hair in frustration, "Yeah. I mean, I was going to turn it in but Audrey talked me out of it."

"Because Audrey knows what she's talking about?" Athena questioned. "Emma, keeping things like this from the police is only going to make it harder to catch the guy. Now, it looks like you're hiding evidence."

"I might be able to help," Eli's voice started them. "I couldn't help but overhear."

"You're a creep," Athena glared at him.

"One man's creep, is another man's..."

"Creep?" Emma guessed.

"Okay, I was gonna say stalker," he chuckled. "Ditch it. Fast as you can. Wipe off any prints and stick it somewhere they'll find it. Behind a book or in the garbage."

"That's actually not a bad idea," Athena admitted. "Take yourself out of the equation."

Emma's phone rang and she saw Noah's name, "Hey." There was a pause before she gasped, "He brought his gun to school?"

"Kieran has a gun?" Athena questioned incredulously.

"Are they arresting him?" there was a vague answer before she hung up.

"Look, give me Jake's phone," Eli said. "I'll get rid of it for you."

Emma hesitated, "No, I can't ask you to do that."

"I want to," he insisted. "It's one less miserable thing for you to deal with today. Plus, I'll do it better than you."

She was about to cave when the Sheriff and a few deputies walked Kieran back into the learning center. Sheriff Acosta immediately zeroed in on Emma, "Emma Duval." Whispers broke again as he walked through the room to her, "I hear you have something you want to show me."

Emma gave Kieran a look of betrayal before reaching into her backpack to pull out and hand over Jake's phone. She was walked out of the room and Athena gave Kieran a deadly stare, "You're lucky we're surrounded by cops or I'd clock you."

After she sat back down with Will and Gustavo, her boyfriend asked what was going on. She leaned in a whispered, "Someone planted Jake's phone in Emma's backpack and Kieran tattled on her."

"Are you serious?" he hissed. "This is so messed up."

She readily took his hand and nodded, "Things are gonna be messed up for a while."

Soon enough, Emma was lead back in the room. Athena watched Kieran try to make up with her but Emma was still hurt and angry.

Haley, the girl who helped prank Audrey in the theater and who would not stop hating on the Lakewood Eight, started running her mouth, "She had the dead guy's phone and they just sent her back. Why? Because her mom works for the police. Duh!"

Emma whispered, "Why are they all staring?"

Athena stood up to go to her side, "They're bitches, ignore them."

"No," she protested, walking off. "I want to know what they have to say."

She walked off to them, and Audrey tried to go after but Athena went first, standing right besides Emma as she got in Haley's face. "Hey. Do you have something you want to say to me?" Haley didn't seem so brave now that she was being faced but she still looked smug. Emma sighed, "Look, I know you're scared. We are all scared. But we should not be scared of each other, okay? Please do not be scared of me."

She scoffed, "But I am scared of you. Everyone who comes around you dies. And your friends should be scared, too, because they're all gonna die."

Emma grew quiet, "You have no idea what I went through."

"You went through?" Haley mocked. "Piper butchered seven people, but magically didn't touch a hair on either of your heads." She looked between both Emma and Athena this time.

"You don't know what you're talking about," Athena hissed at her.

"You shot her in the face so we only got your side of the story," Haley spat at her.

Athena grew quiet and dangerous, stepping up to her slowly so she was right in her face. She let a dangerous smile lift up her lips as she whispered, "Careful, honey. Because the last person who threatened me and my friends, ended up with a bullet in her brain."

"Are you threatening me?" Haley tried to act haughty but there was a discernible shake in her voice.

Athena kept her same deadly quiet voice, "You caught that? Pretty smart for someone who is stupid enough to antagonize the girl who shot Piper Shaw, the serial killer."

Athena walked off with Emma but apparently Haley really wasn't the brightest girl because she couldn't resist more digs, "You're all crazy, aren't you? Anytime there's a killer loose, somehow, there's always a crazy Duval left standing!"

Before anyone could react, Emma's hand went flying and collided with Haley's cheek. Everyone gasped and grew quiet and Emma looked incredibly regretful. But Athena put a hand on her shoulder and got in between the two girls, "Emma, don't be sorry. The bitch was asking for it."

 

"Are you serious?" Haley screamed, lunging at Emma. But Athena grabbed her thrown out arms and flipped her over her shoulder. She landed with an audible thud on the tiled ground and cried out in pain. To prevent her fighting back, Athena gently laid her foot on the inside of her arm and bent over her, "Stay away from her. Stay away from me. I don't want to ever hear or see you around, you got that, bitch?"

"Break it up!" a deputy said, walking in and pulling Athena away.

Miss Lang rushed in and ushered a nearly hyperventilating Emma out of the room.

"What the hell was that?" the deputy glared at Athena.

"She was defending Emma," Audrey rushed in with Noah and Will at her side.

"Yeah, totally," Noah added. "Haley went to attack Emma and Athena just defended her."

"What?" Haley scoffed. "That bitch attacked me and you're defending her!?" She looked around the other kids she had been mouthing off to, expectantly, "Someone say something!"

"Athena?" one of the deputies asked. "Can you tell me what happened?"

Athena sighed, "Haley was mouthing off to Emma and me about our friends dying, she called the Duval's crazy and Emma slapped her, Haley lunged at Emma and I responded with the most common defense maneuver I know. Minimal lasting damage, she didn't even hit her head."

The deputy regarded her for a moment before nodding, "All right, just keep to yourselves."

"Are you serious?" Haley scoffed. "You're taking her side?"

"You have a history of personally attacking one member of the Lakewood Eight and plans to attack others," he pointed out, staring at her. "So yes, I'm inclined to believe her over you. Now back off, go to your corner and leave them all alone."

* * *

Maggie was zipping up Jake's body when Sheriff Acosta came over with two deputies, "I know you, Maggie. You hide it well, but you're an emotional person. This must be hard for you."

She sniffed but answered, "I'm okay."

"I'm removing you from the case."

She gawked at him, "What?"

"I saw you reveal privileged information that could compromise this investigation," he pointed out, referencing her telling Brooke Jake's time of death.

"That was Brooke," she protested. "The girl just lost her boyfriend."

"You see that girl and you see your daughter's friend. You should see a suspect," he shot at her. "That girl was, as far as I can tell, the last person to see the victim alive. They had an argument alone in this building, and, a few days later, his body drops from a banner above her head."

"The girl is clearly being victimized," Maggie said.

"And you're too close to this by a mile," he said. "You're just gonna have to sit this one out."

"Are you sure I'm the only one who is too close to this?" Maggie asked him. "Your child will be targeted too. Soon, you'll know how it feels."

His face hardened, "My decision is final. Dwayne'll get your notes on the way out of the building."

* * *

Athena was clutching Will's hand in her seat between him and Gustavo when Audrey suddenly stomped over, "You, Stavo! What are you drawing?"

"Don't worry about it," he instantly responded, lazily.

"Come on, you're staring at us all the time," she mocked as if it was a game. She reached for his touch pad and yanked it away from him, "I'd love to see what we inspire in you."

"Hey! Give that back!" he demanded, standing up to go after her, but she dodged him.

She was looking and scrolling through his art with disgust, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Give it back!" he begged, seeing the attention on them.

Athena stood up and went after Audrey, "That's enough, Audrey! You are way out of line!"

"I'm out of line!?" Audrey questioned, raising the touch pad in the air so people could see a drawing of Zoe's bloody severed head. "You want me to show everybody what's out of line?" Students gasped and murmured in disgust and fear. "This is what he's drawing!" On the screen was a photo of Zoe's decapitated head.

"Oh, my God," Haley gagged. "You sicko!"

"You see that, Audrey?" Athena gestured wildly to her and Haley. "You're on the same side as this bitch! Think about that!"

"They're just drawings!" Gustavo tried, getting nervous as some of the other students started closing in. He tried to pull Athena behind him, "Athena, get back!"

"No," she shook him off, glaring at Audrey. "It's just a comic book, Audrey. It's harmless art."

Audrey glared back at her, "You knew about this? How? Why didn't you tell anyone?"

"It's none of your fucking business," she spat at her. "He showed them to me, he shared them with me. That takes trust, I don't throw trust back in my friends' face. Just give me the touch pad now."

"It's not what you think!" Gustavo, again, tried to pull Athena back, as he begged. Some guys started rounding him viciously. "It's not what you think!"

"You know who does that?" Haley scoffed. "Serial killers!"

"Says the bitch who put her boyfriend in a Brandon James mask!" Athena yelled at her.

Someone suddenly threw something glass at her and Gustavo's heads. He instantly grabbed her and made her duck as it hit the wall behind them. He started panting in fear, "Wait, wait, wait! It's just... it's just a comic book, all right? It's a fantasy. It's not real life."

"Liar!" someone shouted.

As a group of guys were violently closing in on Gustavo with Athena right next to him, he yanked on her arms and pushed her into Will's arms. "Get her away!" She tried to get back to protect Gustavo, but Will didn't let go of his vice grip on her waist. While she was a better fighter than him, he was stronger than her and she didn't want to actually hurt him. She couldn't see what happened, only heard something smash and then Gustavo was on the ground getting the snot kicked out of him. Kieran and Eli rushed in to try and pull the guys off but it was almost a full blown riot.

That was until the Sheriff and a few deputies came in, yelling, "Break it up!" over and over again until the guys backed up and revealed a bloody Gustavo on the ground.

Sheriff Acosta visibly sighed and sagged as he picked up his son off the ground.

Athena took the pause of peace and rushed over to check on his face, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine," he assured her.

"I'll go get you some ice," the Sheriff volunteered, walking off, but his deputies stayed behind to make sure another fight didn't break out.

Athena stopped checking his face out to pick up his shattered touch pad from the ground. She felt anger bubble up in her as she glared at Audrey's regretful face. But then she handed it to him and sat him down at a table, glaring at anyone else who so much as looked at them.

Within ten minutes, the Sheriff had opened the doors and brought Gustavo some ice before going to help usher the kids out to their parents. Will, despite his jealousy, sat with Athena and Gustavo and kept his arms around her.

Athena got a text from Diana that she was waiting outside to take her home and was worried about her. Athena quickly texted her back before saying to Will and Gustavo, "Diana is here waiting for me outside."

"I'm sure my parents are freaking out too," Will murmured, standing up with her.

Gustavo stood up too, "Athena, thank you for standing up for me."

"She didn't have the right to do that to you," was all she said as he stared down at his shattered touch pad.

Audrey tentatively walked over to them, looking at Gustavo with remorse, "I'll pay to fix it... or replace it."

Gustavo just glared at her as he gathered his things, "Stay the hell away from me... or I'll break something you love." He gave Athena and Will a half-hearted smile before leaving the room.

Audrey tried again with Athena, "I didn't mean for it to get that far."

Athena scoffed, "What did you think was going to happen in this situation, Audrey? You had no right to target him like that."

"I'm—I'm sorry," Audrey murmured with shame.

"I don't understand what's going on with you lately, Audrey," Athena muttered before taking Will's hand and walking away from her.

* * *

 

 


	7. The Bomb Drops

" _It's been one day since Jake Fitzgerald's body was found..._ "

Athena just vaguely listened to Noah's voice in the background as she tried to distract herself. She wanted to see Will, see if he was okay. She had texted him to check on him this morning but he hadn't answered yet.

" _...and the grizzly reality of how he died is settling in._ "

Athena flinched at the reminder of Jake's body dropping from the PAC ceiling, all the blood dripping over Brooke and drenching her in dark red. She hadn't been close to Jake. She could imagine being in Brooke's place, if it were Will dropped on her. She had been there – with Elena. She knew what it felt to blame yourself for the death of the person you cared about the most.

" _That sort of grief is a tricky thing. You don't know what to feel. Should you be furious? Should you be frightened? Should you be sad? It can swallow you up or weigh you down or ignite a fire inside you. When murder hits this close to home... it makes you see the world in a new way. People, too..._ "

* * *

Emma folded her arms in front of her as she knocked on Noah's bedroom door, "Hey, Noah. It's me. Open up."

She heard some fumbling inside the room as he called out, "Uh, hold on. Just a second," and then he was ripping open the door, frazzled, "Hey! Was that locked? That's weird. Sorry. Uh, what's up? What's going on?"

She marched into the room, now determined, "Um, I have something I need to tell you. The last thing that Piper said to me was that she had one more surprise. I think that surprise just killed Jake and is now terrorizing all of us."

"You mean Piper's accomplice," Noah guessed, excited that she was on his wavelength.

"Yes. I know. You've been saying it all along, but, now, I'm ready to know the truth. I need to see your board," she walked over to it, seeing it covered by a sheet.

He jumped in her way and blocked her, "The board? No, no! It's under construction. It's not ready. You're not ready. Nobody's ready."

She gave him a look, "Noah, I'm ready." She reached over to the sheet and pulled it down, seeing a web of photos and red yarn lines revolving all around Audrey. She whipped around to gape at Noah, "Audrey? What? Why do you think that?"

Noah bumbled through his explanation, "Audrey said some strange things during the lockdown. And then, she went all Frankenstein lynch mob on Stavo, and-and she... she just... you know, her temper's been off the charts lately."

Emma waited for more after he paused but he remained quiet, "That's it? That's... that's all you have?"

He shrugged, "It's just a feeling I have."

"A feeling?" Emma scoffed. "It's not Audrey! Noah, the killer has gotten in your head, okay? He wants you to connect dots that don't even exist! It's part of his game, okay? He is trying to make it so that you cannot trust anything or anyone."

Noah numbly nodded, "It could all be part of his plan. Yeah."

"It has to be," Emma said as her phone dinged in her pocket. She brought it out, reading a text from Brooke, and sighed, "It's Brooke. I have to go. It's not Audrey," she said as she left, "so unless you have something real to back that up, you need to take down her picture right now."

* * *

Will pulled up to park in front of the Tyler house in his truck and jumped out, knocking in the front door. Lana opened the door and looked bored, "Tina! Your boyfriend is here!"

"In the kitchen!" Diana called back with a slight laugh in her voice.

Will walked in, seeing Diana and Athena eating breakfast at the island counter. Athena smiled gently at him and jumped out of her stool to greet him, "Hey, I wasn't expecting you today. I texted you earlier."

"Sorry, I was driving. I meant to call," he replied bashfully, looking at Diana.

She waved him off, "You're welcome here anytime, Will."

"Thanks," he responded.

"I have to take Lana dress shopping for a dance coming up," Diana commented as she cleaned off her plate. "I'm assuming neither of you want to join?"

"It's like you know me," Athena teased, earning a laugh from her mother.

"Okay, well we'll be back whenever Lana settles on a dress that fulfills her standards," Diana teased her other daughter.

Lana rolled her eyes, "It has to be perfect."

"You'll find something, Lana," Athena assured her "Have fun."

"Lock the door after us," Diana requested as she grabbed her purse and ushered Lana out the door.

Athena washed her plate quickly and grabbed Will's hand, pulling him closer to her, "How are you doing? I didn't hear from you last night."

He shrugged but his face betrayed how he was hurting, "I don't know. I keep expecting him to show up and make his same dumb ass jokes, you know?"

"I know," she whispered, brushing her hand over his cheek. "I'm here for you, you know that right?"

"Yeah, I know," he smiled at her. "I just wanted to see you."

"I'm glad," she responded, kissing his lips. "Let's go upstairs."

They let themselves into her room and laid out on her bed, her head over his chest and his hands stroking through her hair methodically. They were lulling into a comfortable silence, just enjoying the comfort provided by being near each other. Until Will murmured, "I can't imagine what Brooke is feeling right now. If it had been you yesterday..."

"It wasn't," she intervened gently, sitting up on her stomach so she was looking down at his face. "I'm not going anywhere, Blue Eyes. Someone has to stick around and keep you on your toes."

He gave a weak chuckle, "You're good at that. Just please be careful. We don't know what this person is capable of."

"I will," she promised. "And I also don't want to let this bastard do what he did yesterday."

"What do you mean?" he asked her, frowning.

"He turned us against each other," she said. "He played us. If we're not going to let him get the better of us like that again, we have to trust each other. We have to be honest with each other. All of us."

"The good thing with us is that we know each others dirty little secrets," Will teased. "But I know what you mean."

Athena brushed her hand through his hair a couple times, murmuring, "Do you ever wonder if it'll end? Or if after we think it's finally over, another wacko will come out of the woodwork and target us all again?"

"I try not to," he answered her. "It's hard enough to wrap my head around it all starting again now. I just gotta hope that it will end again."

She nodded thoughtfully, her mind working a mile a minute, "It's so weird to think about how different things are now than they were when I started here. I was this closed off girl with nothing. Nothing to lose. Now, I have these wonderful friends, this new family, I have you. I have everything to lose and I don't know how to handle it. I really care about you."

"I care about you too," he whispered, leaning up until his lips were pressed against hers. He cupped her face, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her closer, nearly on top of him.

Athena started to feel lighter, and hotter under the collar. She rolled her body so she was actually on top of him. She let out a little gasp of surprise when his hands landed low on her hips and pulled her closer. He pulled away when he heard her and paused, "Sorry – I'll, I'll stop." He lifted her hands from her and laid back.

Athena rolled onto her back and pulled him on top of her, "Don't stop."

He was breathless as he kissed her passionately, pulling back only to whisper, "Are you sure?"

She hesitated, but only to tell him, "Yes, but – it'll be my first time with a man."

Will smiled down at her, brushing her hair out of her face and kissed her cheek, "Just tell me if I go too far."

 

 

She nodded in a flutter of movement and let her eyes fall shut when she felt his lips on her neck. His hands dipped into her stomach and started lifting her shirt. It took some working, and roaming hands and lips, but soon she was down to her underwear and he was down to his boxer shorts. He backed up on his knees and pulled her to sit up, reaching around her to unhook her bra. When it fell down, she didn't cover herself up like the cliché woman during her first time. She just laid back on the bed and pulled him on top of her again, arching under him as his lips trailed over her torso and breasts.

She opened her legs and gasped in pleasure as he pressed down on her. He reached his hands down and pulled off her panties, using his fingers to dip into her. She sucked in a sharp breath, "God..."

"Always a nick name," he laughed, pumping his fingers in and out of her and kissing her neck and shoulder.

She felt her breath increase as she dug her nails into his shoulder blades, holding him closer over her. Soon, he was pushing her over the edge and she was glad no one was home because she cried out from the pleasure, accepting his kiss as he brought her down.

She panted, "Take off your boxers."

He chuckled again and did as told, "You ready?"

"Definitely," she breathed.

* * *

Outside the Tyler household, just across the street, a broke looking Buick was parked, tinted windows and all. A woman sat in the driver's seat, long dark hair down her back and pail skin, worry lines around her eyes being deepened as she stared at the front door. She pulled her hair back into a low bun and slipped dark sunglasses over her eyes.

With a glance around the neighborhood, seeing no one around, she pushed her door open and started walking to the front door.

* * *

There was only mild discomfort when Will entered her in one swift motion. She didn't give him the chance to pause, egging him on with her moans for more. He panted into the skin of her neck, using his arms to hold him up.

When they were close to their peak, he pulled his head up to lay his forehead on hers and look into her eyes. Athena let whimpers out from the back of her throat as she felt her stomach tighten. She wanted to tell him something, how much she cared about him, how much she actually loved him – because she'd never told him that before. But the words died in her throat when she fell over that ledge one more time and felt his hips stagger and his movements stutter as he grunted.

Panting, he pulled out and rolled onto his side next to her. She rolled onto her side facing him and laid on his chest, "Is this the part where I say – that was amazing? Let's go again?"

Will let out a laugh that sounded more like a wheeze, letting his head fall to the pillow, "Yeah, that sounds right."

"That was amazing. Let's go again," she repeated with a smirk, turning her head to look up at him.

"I think we can do that," he winked, pulling her head up to kiss her.

The beginning of round two was interrupted when the doorbell rang. Athena groaned as she straddled him, "Ignore that. M'not expecting anyone."

"Fine by me," he quipped, slipping his tongue into the kiss.

The doorbell rang again, followed by a quick succession of knocks. Athena cursed, jumping off the bed, "Crap, that could be Diana or Till, forgetting their house key."

"Damn," Will cursed too, following her and slipping on his jeans and shirt.

Athena quickly threw on her clothes, skipping the bra, and pulled him by his hand downstairs to get the door. She ran her fingers through her hair to tame the tangles as she looked through the peephole. She saw a woman with dark large sunglasses blocking most of her face. She couldn't tell if she knew the woman, but she looked familiar.

Athena clicked her tongue in annoyance and pulled the front door open, "Yeah? You selling something?"

"Athena," the woman breathed in disbelief, awe, and deep longing. She slowly reached up and pulled her sunglasses off.

Athena gasped, a sharp intake of breath that jolted Will. He stepped up behind her and put his hands on her shoulders, "What is it, Athena? Who is this?"

Athena felt tears building in her eyes as she stared at the woman with sparking disbelief and a million other emotions, "...Mom?"

The woman smiled, her lips straining over her face as a tear dripped out of her right eye, "You need to let me in, Nana. We don't want anyone to see."

Athena's face hardened, "You don't get to call me that. Not after everything you did."

"I understand that you're angry," Gretchen replied calmly and patiently. "But please, I just want to talk about this."

"Hurry," Athena hissed, ushering her inside and shutting and locking the door. "Angry? Angry!? Is that all you think I am? I have a few other adjectives for you. Hurt, betrayed, furious, the list goes on and on."

"I get it," Gretchen cried. "What I did to you – you get to be angry with me."

"Thanks so much for the permission," she scoffed back. "What the Hell are you doing here? I should be calling the cops right now."

"But you won't," the older woman begged. "I just wanted to see my daughter. I'm your mother, I wanted to see that you were safe and cared for."

"There's a couple facts you got wrong there," Athena glared. "I'm not your daughter. You're not my mother. Not by blood. Not even by legal adoption. You're a criminal. You're a fugitive."

"I know, but that doesn't mean that I didn't love you," Gretchen protested, her face morphing into anguish. "We can't avoid this conversation, you can't avoid me. I have raised you and loved you, unconditionally. I still do."

Athena let her own tears start flowing down her face. She was eternally grateful when she felt Will slip his hand into hers and interlace their fingers. "You... you ripped me away from my mother, who loved me."

Gretchen's face hardened, "She didn't love you. Diana – that woman – thought you were a burden. I heard her say it!" She broke off, her face going crazy with emotion and passion for a moment. She took a breath.

"Is that what you came here for?" Athena mocked her. "To try and turn me against my real family?"

"It's the truth," Gretchen protested. "I heard her! You were different. You were a reminder of her biggest mistake and she couldn't handle it. I couldn't handle the thought of you growing up with that woman, who would treat you so differently, who would judge you for her mistakes, deny you the love and care you deserved. While me, and your father, wanted a child to love so badly, but we couldn't. We were denied our own baby three times over. We had to take matters into our own hands."

"What mistake?" Athena asked, raising her voice the more emotional she got.

Gretchen steeled herself, "Till Tyler is not your biological father. Diana had an affair."

Athena took in a sharp breath, almost getting dizzy and falling into Will. He wrapped his arms around her to steady her as she stared at the woman she once loved and idolized so much. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not," Gretchen replied in an even tone. Athena recognized that tone. It was her no-nonsense, no-bullshit tone. "I heard her talk to Maggie about it when your father and I came here to visit my mother. They didn't know I was there. I heard her confide in Maggie that she had an affair, and was passing you off as her husband's baby. She broke off her affair but she told Maggie she didn't know how to live with the guilt, with the evidence of her transgression living in her house."

Athena couldn't believe her ears. It didn't make any sense. Diana had done nothing but try and mend their strained relationship since she was returned to them. "Who was it then? Who did she cheat with? Who is my real father?"

"Are you sure you want to know?" Gretchen replied cautiously. "I don't know if he knows, if he ever wanted anything to do with you."

"I don't care, I want the goddamn truth for once," Athena hissed. "I think you owe me some of it."

"You're right," Gretchen sighed. "It's Miguel. Miguel Acosto. He went to High School with all of us. He just recently became your new Sheriff."

"Acosto? Gustavo's dad?" Athena replied dubiously. She didn't believe it – at first.

"That's crazy," Will cut in. "There's no way. Right?"

But Athena thought. And thought really hard about it.

* * *

_Brooke told Emma, "He's new. Sheriff's son. Super creepy. He scams on Athena all the time, so don't feel too victimized."_

* * *

_She asked him, "Or are you just trying to get the inside scoop on the Lakewood Eight?"_

_He gave a chuckle, "No, I'm just trying to get to know you. Nothing else."_

* * *

" _You ranked us, didn't you?"_

" _It was something to do. If it makes you feel better, you're number one. Because you're the most important," he said without hesitation. "To me, at least."_

* * *

" _So, you and that guy?" she jumped when she heard Gustavo's voice behind her._

_She turned around, "Yeah, me and him."_

" _Is he at least a good guy?" Stavo asked, seeming a bit protective. "I'd hate to punch his lights out for hurting you."_

" _Somehow, I doubt that," she chuckled, sharing a smile with him. "Did you want something?"_

" _To give you something," he said, handing her a cylindrical tube._

_She looked up at him, "You drew me as the Angel of Death?"_

" _Well, yeah," he seemed embarrassed and sentimental for once. "To me, you're the strongest and more beautiful of the Lakewood Eight. You're the savior of everyone."_

_Athena looked back at the artwork and would never admit that her eyes grew misty, "This is actually really great, Stavo. I can't believe you're giving this to me."_

" _You deserve something that shows how brave you are," he told you. "I know I can be creepy and obsessive. Especially around you. But I promise there's a good reason."_

" _Reason?" she questioned, rolling up the poster and carefully replacing it. She put the tube in her backpack. "Are you going to share?"_

_He shook his head, "Not yet. I don't want to get ahead of myself."_

_She gave him a look, "You know you can trust me, right?"_

" _It's not about that. I'll tell you all about it sometime," he answered her cryptically._

* * *

_The Sheriff, instead of acting stern, acted concerned as he bent on his knew in front of her, "How are you feeling? You don't look so good."_

* * *

" _Are you telling me that you fear for your safety?" he asked, for some reason, seeming quite worried himself._

" _And everyone around me," she answered. "But I'll tell you something else, I will fight like hell to protect the people I care about from getting hurt by this psycho."_

" _All right," he said. "That's all for now. But," he pulled out a card from his wallet and handed it to her, "if you need to tell me anything, or if you feel unsafe, please call me."_

* * *

It all made sense. Why Stavo seemed more interested in her than the other Lakewood Eight. Why the Sheriff seemed to soften with her when he seemed suspicious of her friends. Why Stavo was more concerned with getting her out of harms way when he was about to get the shit kicked out of him by the riot Audrey started during the lock down.

"Oh my god," she whispered. "It's true."

"What?" Will asked her, looking down at her.

"Yes, it's true," Gretchen confirmed.

Suddenly, Athena burst into laughter, tears streaming down her face. She bent over from the exertion and rested her hands on her knees. Will put his arms around her again and tried to pull her up, "What is so funny?"

She straightened up and leaned on him, "You—you're..." she broke off in a fit of giggles before she was able to get the words out, "You've been jealous of my brother!"

Will's ears turned red in embarrassment but he ignored it. "Okay, so I'll lay off him from now on. What are you going to do?"

Athena took some deep breaths before her face dropped and calmed and she faced Gretchen again, "You need to leave."

Gretchen flinched, "Nana, please..."

"Leave before I call the police," she warned, opening the front door.

Gretchen looked like she wanted to collapse into a puddle of tears as she slipped on her glasses again and walked out. Athena didn't look at her as she shut the door and locked it. She looked up at Will, "Please don't say anything."

"Why? What if she tries something?" Will asked her.

"Deep down, she loves me like her daughter and she won't hurt me now," she explained to him. "I know her, I know her character. She wants redemption. She'll give me space for now. I just, I can't handle this and all the drama that will come with it right now. We need to focus on finding Jake's killer."

Will sighed, hugging her to him and resting his chin on her head. "Fine. Just tell me if she contacts you. I want to be here for you, help you."

"I know, I will," Athena rested her head on his chest. "But I have a different hurdle to take on right now."

"What are you going to do?" he asked, rubbing his hand up and down her back to soothe her.

"I have no idea. I can't believe this is happening, but at the same time it makes sense," she told him. "I mean – we're not gonna catch a break."

"It'll be okay," he assured her, holding her close. "I'll be with you when you talk to Diana. If you want me to."

"I think I want you around all the time," she whispered, vulnerably.

He smiled, "Then I'll be around all the time."


	8. Fairground Showdown

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Third trailer here;  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6i-QGAHmV-0&t=1s

"Hey, thank you guys for coming over," Emma said as she let Will and Athena into the kitchen through the back door. "Noah should be here soon."

"What is going on?" Athena asked.

"Noah has a feeling that Audrey was Piper's accomplice," Emma revealed. "That's just.. crazy."

Athena faltered. She'd been wondering what was up with Audrey. She and the girl had grown a little distant since Audrey's behavior had started going wonky. Athena didn't want to think the worse of her friend. She didn't believe Audrey could kill anyone in cold blood. But she did believe something was wrong, that Audrey was hiding something. "It makes sense the way she's been acting that he'd be suspicious. But Audrey isn't the killer. That's crazy."

"Hey," Noah rushed in, "I got your text. Hey, Athena, Will."

"Hey," Will greeted.

"Who is Eddie?" Emma asked Noah.

"Eddie?" Will repeated, just as confused.

Noah pulled out his phone, rambling, "Eddie's the key to clearing Audrey. Check it out." He laid out a paper with some conversation typed on it, "Right here in the transcript of my Morgue interview. Eddie saw Piper and a girl matching Audrey's description together several times at the motel where he works."

"So, he's seen Piper's accomplice," Emma thought out loud, "but I bet you he's never seen Audrey."

"When he doesn't recognize Audrey, he'll prove that she's not Piper's sidekick," Noah explained. "Right? What do you think?"

"Ask him, obviously," Athena cut in.

"Okay," he typed out a text message, "'Was this the girl you saw with Piper?' Eddie shut me down a couple times. We'll just have to wait it out, bide our time." Before he was even finished talking his phone dinged. "Oh! That's was fast, Eddie. He says, 'Wow.' Okay, that's not useful, but we've got the three dots. There's hope!"

"I bet you he will not recognize Audrey," Emma insisted.

Athena dug into her cuticles nervously, her mind continually straying to Gretchen and what she'd learned. Will sensed her attitude and kept his arm around her shoulders, stroking her arm with his thumb.

"Is something wrong?" Noah asked, looking between them. "You guys didn't have a fight or something, did you?"

"No," Athena shook her head. "Nothing like that. We're fine."

"But you're not," Emma protested, looking concerned. "Come on, we can not keep secrets from each other."

"It's not like that," Will protested. "We just don't even know if it's true."

"We do, though," Athena cut in, her face stone. "I know, deep down, that it has to be true."

"What are you talking about?" Noah asked, exasperated.

"Diana had an affair," Athena began. "Which resulted in my birth. Till isn't my biological father."

"Holy crow!" Noah gaped, thoroughly scandalized. "Then who is?"

"That's where it gets even more unbelievable," Will muttered. He squeezed Athena's hand, showing his support, "Go ahead."

Athena let out her breath through her nose before saying, "Miguel Acosta."

"The Sheriff!?" Noah shouted. "Holy hell, the Sheriff is your father!? That means-" he paused, the wheels visible turning in his head, "Gustavo is your brother. Holy hell,  _Gustavo_  is your brother!"

"Shout it to the world why don't you!" Athena admonished him.

"I'm sorry," Noah stammered his apology. "But this is just – mind blowing, you know? It explains so much of Gustavo's behavior towards you."

"I realize that," Athena murmured.

Noah paused in his ranting, "Wait—how did you find out? Did he tell you? Did Diana?"

Athena scoffed, "Yeah, right. I think Gustavo knows, but doesn't have proof. Otherwise, I think he would have told me by now."

"Then how do you know?" Emma asked.

"Someone told us," Will emphasized.

"Who?" Emma asked again.

Athena paused, hesitant. But Emma was right, and she had told Will earlier that they couldn't have secrets that this new killer could use against them.

"Gretchen," she finally admitted. "The woman I used to think was my mother."

Emma and Noah were quiet for a moment before Noah bursted out with, "Holy crow!"

"When did this happen?" Emma asked, concerned. "Why didn't you call the police?"

"A couple hours ago, and I kicked her out," Athena answered.

"Your fugitive fake-mother is in Lakewood?" Noah questioned, his voice cracking.

"You can not tell anyone about this, any of this," Athena stressed. "Especially not Kieran, not after he narked on Emma about Jake's phone. Plausible deniability. I need to see how this plays out on my own."

"Okay," Emma sighed. "Just – be careful. A lot of long lost people are showing up just in time for all of this to start again."

"I get that," she said. "But it's – it's just difficult. I opened the door and I saw my mom. The woman who raised me until I was 17, it was just a knee-jerk reaction. It's hard to see her as a criminal. Alonzo too. It was easier to think of them as these bad people when I hadn't seen them for months. But seeing her... I just saw my mom."

"That's okay," Will told her, wrapping his arms around her waist. "No one is expecting you to hate either of them. Just be careful. We don't know what she could do if she thought it would get you back."

"We can take that hurdle when it comes down to it," Athena said. "Let's just focus on exonerating Audrey right now."

* * *

Gretchen Contos tucked her ponytail into a ball cap and slipped sunglasses on, even thought night had fallen. She parked at the motel and checked in under a fake name. The dingy motel room left much to be desired, but she wasn't going to be picky when it came to reuniting with her daughter and making sure she had a good life.

* * *

Noah had gotten more messages from Eddie to meet at the fairgrounds. They wanted to go meet him but Maggie shut them down. Athena, Will, and Noah made a show of leaving the house but instead Athena opted to wait for Emma to sneak out while Will went with Noah ahead to the meeting place. Athena chewed on her lip in her car, pulling it to park across the street while she waited for Emma.

Emma quietly let herself out of her house and jogged across the street, getting into her car. "Let's go, quickly."

"Call Noah and let them know we're on our way," she said back as she started her car and drove off. "Why did this guy choose the fairgrounds? It's a typical horror movie setting."

"This could help clear Audrey's name," Emma insisted. "We need to go."

"Hey, I'm still driving," Athena defended herself. "I just don't like the situation. It feels like a trap."

* * *

Noah groaned as he blinked his eyes open and looked around the dark, dank room. He was seated in the car of a roller coaster of sorts, his hands tied to the bar in front of him. He started breathing heavily in fear and yanking on his hands, but the ropes only bit and rubbed into his skin and hurt him more. "No, no, no! No! Help! Help!"

He heard a masculine groan just ahead of him and saw the back of Will's head as the athlete, "What the hell is this?"

"I don't know," he stammered. He looked behind him when he heard another groan and saw someone with a bag over their head. They leaned forward and pulled it off to reveal his best friend, "Oh, God! Audrey! What's going on?"

"I was parked in the alley behind the Grindhouse and something..." she trailed off. She panicked when she saw her hands and started yanking loudly.

"Shh!" Will chided. "We don't know if the sicko is still here."

"This is bad," Noah moaned. "Multiple kidnapping is a common story line in the torture porn sub-genre. Usually, only one captive survives, and sometimes..."

"Sometimes what?" Audrey goaded him.

Noah hesitated, looking back at her, "Sometimes, nobody survives." He looked around, seeing a bucket of tools next to him. "I see some tools." He tried to reach out to it with his foot, but he barely missed. "It's just out of my reach. He wants it to be just out of my reach. It's part of his torture fetish."

* * *

"Emma?" Athena broke the silence of their drive. "Are you really okay with me and Will?"

Emma looked confused at the question but nodded, "Yeah, of course. Why do you ask?"

"I know you said you were fine with it before, but..." Athena drummed her fingers on the steering wheel, "I just want to make sure you were okay with it now that it's happening. Now that you can see it right in front of you."

Emma sighed, "I mean, I thought it would be weird at first. But I don't feel like the same person I was when I was with him. I don't think he's the same person either. I'm with Kieran. Things are difficult right now, but we'll be fine."

"Can I tell you something about me and him without it being weird?" Athena asked her in an uncharacteristically small voice, a vulnerable voice.

"Yeah, Athena, we're friends," Emma assured her.

Athena let out a breath, "I think I love him. I almost told him that today, and then Gretchen showed up."

"Wow," Emma breathed. "That's great, Athena. Really."

"It's terrifying," Athena scoffed. "It feels so terrifying."

"Because you could lose him?" Emma guessed knowingly.

She nodded, "Exactly. I know it sounds dramatic, but he's my rock. If something happens to him, I don't know what I'll do. I'll go Tarantino on this bastard's ass."

"We can't let him play us like that," Emma told her. "You can't let him make you think like that. You are not going to lose Will, I won't lose Kieran. We're going to catch this killer too."

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Audrey cheered him on, "Come on, Foster. Almost there. You got this."

He kept stretching but his toe banged into bucket and knocked it over. "Will! Do you see anything helpful? You're being really quiet."

He saw the boy's shoulders lift up in a shrug, "I just keep thinking, 'Athena is going to find me. She's going to save me.' She did it when I was about to get cut in half by Piper. She saved me even after that. She made me a better person, a person I actually like. I love her for that."

Noah leaned his head back in his seat, "I guess we're going ahead to the truth portion of this evening. Since both horror movie logic and real logic says we're about to die." He peered back at Audrey, "I stole your phone. I saw everything. Your texts from the killer. Even the GIF of you with Jake's dead body."

"I wanted to tell you about it," Audrey tried to explain. "I did... The killer lured me to Jake's body and got that video. And then, he had me. I was completely screwed. How could I tell anybody about that?"

"You could have told me!" Noah protested, the hurt seeping into his voice. "Of all people, I'm the one you tell! But you didn't. And now, here we are, tied up, in an Eli Roth movie. This whole thing is so Saw II. Please don't make me cut off a body part!"

* * *

Athena parked her car just next to Noah's and got out, looking around. "Where are they?"

"I don't know," Emma dialed Noah's number – or tried to. "There's no cell service."

Athena started getting worked up, her breaths coming faster as she screamed, "Will!"

* * *

Noah slumped in his seat, "Before I meet my maker, I've got some things I want to confess. I don't like my cat. We've never gotten along. I wish I'd learned to play an instrument, probably saxophone. I told Riley that my favorite movie was Terminator. It's not. It's Psycho. But that's not what you tell a girl on a first date."

"Wow," Audrey commented, a little thrown by the random confessions, "okay."

He went on, "Somewhere in Time is my second favorite movie. Terminator is not even in the top five."

"Okay, okay."

"There's more," he didn't let her deter him. He looked back at her, emotional, "Lakewood sucked before I met you. So, when we kissed..."

"No, no, no," Audrey protested, flinching at the memory.

"When we kissed... it made me feel something," he confessed. "I think I'd always kind of wanted to kiss you. I know you were thinking of Rachel, and I know I'm an idiot for even saying..."

She successfully cut him off this time, "No, no, no, you're not. You're not at all. I do love you, Noah, just... not like that."

"I get it," he told her. "I just wanted to be honest about it, before... you know."

"We're not going to die," Will finally spoke again. "Athena is going to find us. It's what she does."

"How are you so sure about that?" Audrey asked.

"Well, she and Emma are supposed to meet us here," Noah was saying.

Then they hear Athena's voice screaming out, "Will!"

Then Emma's voice, "Noah!?"

Will let out a breath of relief and shouted back, "Athena!"

"Emma!" Noah shouted excitedly.

Audrey shushed them, "Why are they here?"

"We were meeting up with Eddie from the Crescent Palms," Noah explained.

Audrey's face went white, "No, no, no! There is no Eddie! Eddie is dead!"

"Eddie can't be dead. He texted me this morning," Noah said.

"He is dead!" Audrey stressed. "He is super dead. The killer must have lured you here posing as him. We are sitting ducks."

Noah blanched, "I'm so confused. Haven't we been sitting ducks this whole time?"

"Not exactly," Audrey answered as she easily pulled her hands free, not having been tied like the boys were. She rushed over and started cutting Noah free of his ropes.

"You have some explaining to do," he said, watching her wide-eyed and trapped in shock.

"Look, I followed you here," Audrey explained quickly. " _I_  kidnapped us.  _Not_  the killer.  _Me_!" She cut him loose and went over to start freeing Will. "You were starting to suspect me, and so I figure if I got kidnapped, you'd know that I was not the killer."

"Makes sense, I guess," he stammered.

"But now, the killer might really be here and we might really be screwed," Audrey hissed. "Just promise me you won't tell Emma anything until I get a chance to explain myself."

"Whatever, let's go," Will cut in, already running off to find his girlfriend.

* * *

Athena gripped Emma's hand as they walked through the fairgrounds. Emma spun around and nearly screamed when she saw the masked killer behind them. The girls ran away, quickly, holding their breath practically as they hid behind a large structure. Emma peered out of one of the holes. Athena pulled out her knife and handed Emma her taser silently before they heard the scrape of a knife blade on metal.

The girls screamed when the killer jumped around the wall and ran for them. Athena was practically dragging Emma behind her and they screamed again when they ran into Audrey, Noah and Will.

"Will!?" Athena shrieked, throwing her arms around him in relief.

He breathed out her name too and wrapped his arms tightly around her back, "We gotta get out of here. The killer is here. This whole thing was a trap."

"Yeah, we know, we just saw him," she said as she pulled away.

They all looked behind them and Emma frowned, "Where did he go?"

"Let's not wait to find out," Noah said, leading the group to their cars.

* * *

Athena refused to let Will drive home so late at night and snuck him up to her room. Diana and Till were already asleep and Lana was at a friend's house for the night so it was relatively easy. She kept the light off and let the curtains stay open so the moon lit up the room. She blushed when she realized she was nervous to change in front of him when they had had sex earlier that morning. So, she faked her brazenness and started stripping, walking to her closet to pull out some pajamas to wear.

She let out a gasp when she felt hands slide over her hips and pull her back into a bare chest. Will pushed her hair off her shoulder and started peppering kisses up her neck. He whispered, "Are you tired?"

She smirked, turning around in his arms, "Not really."

He smirked down at her and pressed his lips to hers. She reached down and pushed his jeans down, pushing him to sit on the bed so she could straddle him comfortably. Pulling away from him, she brushed her fingers through his hair and said, "I have no idea what I would have done if tonight had gone differently. If I had lost you."

"But you didn't, and you won't," he said. He cupped his hands around her neck and looked into her eyes, "Nothing is going to happen to me."

"We don't know that," she sighed. "This guy wants us over the barrel and we can't let down for a second if we want to survive in tact. I can not lose you, Pretty Boy."

He narrowed his eyes playfully, "Always a nick name."

She rolled her eyes, "Come on, I'm serious."

"I am too," he replied with an impish smile. "You won't lose me, and I won't lose you. We make it through these things, it's what we do. You're strong and protective and smart and badass."

She blushed, "And you're still wearing too many clothes."


	9. Brother and Sister

Athena inhaled sharply, "Oh, God. Fuck," as she rode Will with a swivel of her hips. His hands were practically bruising on her hips, his grip firm as he picked her up and pulled her back down over him. She braced her weight with her hands on his chest and tightened her thighs around his torso.

She had to enjoy these moments of heaven with him while she could. She had to savor them while she could. When he held her close to him. When he stroked her body with his hands. When she felt him inside her and the heat built up in her spine until it exploded.

She muffled her gasps and moan by pressing her chest down over his and kissing him. He wrapped his hands around her back and held her closer, sliding his lips over hers. She circled her hips slowly until she stopped, finally breaking the link between their lips. "Good morning."

He laughed, a gasping incredulous laugh, "Good morning."

Afterwards, when they got dressed and ready for the day, he asked, "What are you thinking about all this with Acosta and your mom?"

"Diana or Gretchen?" she quipped as she brushed a light layer of makeup on her face.

"Both, I guess," he shrugged. "I realize you haven't had a lot of time to let it sink in..."

"I believe it," she told him. "It just makes too much sense for it not to be true. The way Gustavo and his dad have acted around me. I just don't know why Stavo hasn't told me."

"It's not exactly an easy conversation," Will thought out loud. "What is he supposed to do? Walk up to you and tell you that you're his secret half-sister?"

She sighed, leaning her elbows on the top of her vanity, "I don't know. I just want to know if he knows. He has to know."

"Why don't you talk to him?" Will suggested. "He's obviously more important to you in the scheme of things than Diana or the Sheriff."

"Just because we're in the same boat," she said. "I can't imagine Miguel was forthcoming with him about his bastard child with a married woman – while he was married himself. Stavo and I are the same age."

"Talk to him about it," Will suggested again. "Today. Text him and meet up."

She stared at herself in the mirror, trying to find some similarities between her face and Stavo's or Miguel's. Her skin was definitely paler. Her hair was always darker than Diana's. She always assumed she had brown hair from Till. But maybe it came from Miguel, as well as the slight curl to it. She had brown eyes like them, but so did Diana.

"Do you want to come with me?" she asked, insecurity lacing her voice. "This conversation is gonna be pretty heavy."

"Which is why it's probably better if you have it with him alone," Will responded. "I will only be a text away when you need me."

"When I need you?" she turned in her seat to face him, smiling a half smile. "Not if?"

"I know you'll need me," he shrugged easily. He leaned over her, bending down to kiss her. "And I'll be right there when you do."

* * *

Audrey was messing around with her phone outside of the Grindhouse when Brooke's voice called out, "Hey! Hey, have you seen Emma? Wasn't she supposed to be working this morning?"

She looked up and shook her head, "She was supposed to, but I haven't." Brooke sat across from her and seemed agitated, worried. So, Audrey asked, "Are you okay?"

Brooke brushed her hair away from her face and fiddled with her purse, "I, um... I think I might've messed up."

"That's ominous," Audrey commented.

"You're dark," Brooke observed. "Like, in a good way. I fell like maybe you would understand."

"That's even more ominous."

Brooke huffed, embarrassed, "So, last night, I handcuffed Branson to a bed, threatened to castrate him with scissors, and then left him trapped in a hotel room."

Audrey gaped, "You went full Hard Candy on Branson and left him chained to a bed?"

Brooke grimaced, "Yeah. I don't know. I was just trying to scare him. I thought he knew something about Jake."

"Is he still there?" Audrey asked.

Brooke cringed and held out a long pink pen object.

"What the hell is that?"

"It's the key to the handcuffs," Brooke sheepishly spoke.

"Oh, wow," Audrey deadpanned.

Brooke frowned, "I'm serious. Don't judge me."

Audrey quickly continued, "No, no, no. Trust me, I'm in no position to judge, but... we definitely need to do something about this."

"Yeah."

* * *

Athena felt butterflies in her stomach for not the good reason. She wasn't about to kiss Will or hold him close. She wasn't about to meet up with a celebrity or something. She was waiting on her secret half-brother to meet her so she could confront him about the whole sordid affair.

"Athena?" Emma asked, walking over with a coffee pot.

"Oh, hey, Emma," she replied, flustered.

"Need a refill?" she offered, gesturing to the mug of cold coffee in front of her.

Athena blushed, "Um, no, if I drink another cup I may launch into the ceiling like a rocket ship."

Emma chuckled, "Are you waiting on Will?"

She shook her head and answered without thinking, "No, I'm meeting Stavo."

Emma frowned, confused, "Oh."

Athena flinched, "It's not like that. I need to talk to him about what I told you about yesterday."

Realization dawned on Emma's face, "Oh! You're going to tell him that you know. Here?"

"Yeah," Athena sighed. "Will suggested that I talk to him first, see exactly what and if he knows. Get that all in the open. So, here I am."

"Well, I hope it goes well," Emma said. "Let me know if you need any support, I'll be around."

Emma walked over to wipe down a table and heard a voice behind her, "Emma?" She turned around to see the school psych teacher, "Ms. Lang. Hey. I'm so sorry that I haven't returned your phone call. I've just been..."

"Avoiding me," Ms. Lang finished. "I know."

"No," Emma tried to smile away. "It's just not a good time right now."

"But I owe you an apology," Ms. Lang insisted. "During the lock down, I was worried things might trigger your PTSD. I only locked you in that classroom for your own protection, I swear. But it caused a panic attack and I'm so sorry. I really hope you can forgive me."

Emma nodded, wanting any excuse to end this conversation, "Yeah, I accept your apology, but..."

"But what?" Ms. Lang asked eagerly.

"A lot of people are trying to help me right now, and it seems to be turning out for the worst," Emma told her.

"We're just worried about you, Emma," Ms. Lang tried to assure you.

Emma got flustered, "I cannot talk about this right now, okay? I really need you to give me some space, or I don't know what I'm gonna do. Okay, Ms. Lang?"

"I understand," the woman replied quietly.

Emma walked around her to get to the counter but Ms. Lang followed and kept talking, "But we're... I just want you to make sure you get the help you need. If it's not from me, then I can find someone else. I'll be at the school later, grading papers, if you want to call or stop by."

"Great," Emma murmured, eager to see the woman leaving.

* * *

Audrey laid back on her bed, trying to call Noah, but failing, "Noah's on a date... ish. Whatever it is, it seems to be going well 'cause he's not answering. Good for him."

Brooke was touching up her lipstick in the mirror of Audrey's vanity, "It's almost time. What am I gonna say to Branson?"

Audrey sat up and stared at Brooke, "Are you seriously putting on lipstick for that jerk?"

Brooke gave her a look, "This is war paint."

"Look, if Branson starts getting weird, just deny that the hotel thing ever happened, okay?" Audrey told her. "It's Branson we're talking about. No one's gonna believe him."

"Well, this town always believes the worst about my family and this happens to be true," Brooke replied sardonically.

"Seriously, Brooke, just lie," Audrey insisted.

Brooke sighed, "Trust me, Audrey. I know from experience with my dad. The longer you lie about something, the worse it gets."

Audrey got a text, from an unknown caller.

_Go alone to the school or your friend gets this._

And underneath it was the gif of her with Jake's body.

"Who's that?" Brooke asked.

"Noah," Audrey thought quickly, putting her phone away.

The blonde sighed, "Okay, time to go."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Audrey asked her.

Brooke stared ahead, determine, "Yes, I have to. Come with me or don't."

* * *

Athena was looking at the door every time the bell above it rang, disappointed when it wasn't Stavo. Until it was. He smiled when he saw her and walked over with a slight spring in his step, "Hey, I was surprised you called me."

"Well, I wanted to talk to you," Athena answered awkwardly. "Didn't want to bring it up at school."

"What's up?" he asked, sitting across from her. He sensed that she was serious about something. "Is something wrong?"

"Isn't everything?" she asked sarcastically. She wrung her hands on her lap. "I need to ask you something, and I really need you to be honest with me. I can not handle more lies from the people I care about."

"I wouldn't lie to you, Athena," Stavo assured her, leaning forward attentively.

Athena sighed. She had no idea how to start this conversation. How to ask him if he knew. Ask him why he didn't tell her if he did. How he found out. She had so many questions but she couldn't quite get the words out in order. She blew out another puff of air in a sigh and ran a hand through her hair, "This is a lot harder than I thought it was going to be."

Stavo thought hard, wondering if she was going with this where he thought she was. "Do you have something to ask me?"

"Yes," she replied instantly. "I do. I just don't know where to start."

Stavo fidgeted a little, "Well, just ask me-"

"How long have you known that your dad is my real father?" she asked, blurted it out without thinking really. She had over-thought it really, but never thought she would start with that. " _Did_  you know?"

Stavo's face fell to stone, trying to keep his emotions in check, "Don't you think we should talk about this somewhere less public?"

"Fine," Athena sighed, getting up. "Let's go walk somewhere."

"Okay," he readily followed her out of the coffee shop and down the street. There weren't a lot of people around so he felt more comfortable to talk, "I knew. I just didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want to just blow up your life."

Athena scoffed, "Well, my life has been blown up – more than once. I don't even know how to handle this." She took a breath, "How did you find out? That must be why you started approaching me."

"Well, when me and my dad moved here, it was quick," he started explaining. "We didn't have time to really organize and I found some stuff in his old files. I found letters from your mother."

"Let's just call her Diana," Athena intervened. "I have yet to call her mom since I came 'back' to Lakewood."

"I know about that too," Stavo disclosed. "It was in her letters eventually. Dad went crazy when you disappeared."

"What did you find in there about me?"

He sighed, "Well, I found little notes they left each other in their lockers in High School. They stopped eventually when she told him she was dating Till. There were pictures of them in school too, sometimes with Maggie, but they were always closer. There was a letter from her, saying she thought she was making a mistake marrying Till and asked him if he'd take her back. But he was with my mom by then so he never answered."

"Wow, so they had a little Notebook love affair," Athena summarized sardonically.

"Pretty much," he shrugged. "The letters stopped for a few years. Then something happened, I don't know, and they started again. Then there was an ultrasound picture and the back of it said 'it's a girl.' Then a baby picture with your name labeled on it. Soon, there was a steady stream of pictures of you before they stopped around the time you were..."

"Taken," she finished for him in a flat tone. "Does Miguel know that you know?"

"He has no idea," Stavo said. "He and I don't see eye to eye half the time. I didn't want to see his reaction if I confronted him about it. I really didn't care about his part in it, cheating on my mom and all. I just cared more about the fact that I had a sister out there."

"Funny, I was more or less on the same wavelength," she told him. "When I found out, talking to you about it was the first thing I thought of. I have no idea what to say to Diana. I never even thought of talking to Miguel. No offense, but I didn't think of having a relationship with him."

"I get it," he replied. "It's a lot to take in and it takes a while to figure out what to do with it."

"You can say that again," she folded her arms in front of her. "Look, for now, I don't want to let on that we know. I really don't care to forge a father-daughter relationship with Miguel. And I don't know if I want to blow up Diana and Till's marriage."

"I get that," Stavo responded. "Honestly, I'm glad it's just us that know, at least for now. I can imagine if we told them that we knew it would become this big fucking deal and they'd treat us like children. Tell us that we can't possibly understand what it takes to make a marriage work, how something like this can happen."

"I think I understand just fine," Athena quipped. "They were immature shitheads that fucked around behind their spouses' backs and made a kid that they then passed off as legitimate for going on eighteen years."

"Just because they had an affair, doesn't mean you're not legitimate," Stavo pulled on her hand so she stopped walking and faced him. "You're a person, not a contract. You're legitimate."

Athena, eternally scared off by big emotional moments, just chuckled and said, "Thanks, bro."

* * *

"Brooke," Audrey called out when the blonde got out of her car at the school. "Brooke! Hold on just one second."

Brooke replied with a frustrated laziness, "I just want to get this over with, okay? He's gonna be in his old classroom."

"Listen, we don't know what you're walking into right now," Audrey stressed, thinking of what she could say to make Brooke wait outside so she went in alone. "We have no idea. True?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, "I'm about to 'convince' sleazy Branson to keep his mouth shut."

"I don't trust him," Audrey said. "You came to me because you said that I'm dark and I understand this stuff. Well, I do! So, let me go in first."

Brooke frowned and shook her head, "No, I can't let you do that."

She went to walk around Audrey but the girl stepped in front of her again, exasperated, "No, no, no. Just give me a few minutes to feel him out, okay? He's not gonna mess with me. Besides, I'm not wearing heels, so, you know, I can run faster if he turns out to be mental. Just a few minutes. Just keep your phone close, and I'll let you know when to come in, okay?"

Brooke thought on it and then sighed and nodded.

Audrey breathed a short sigh of relief as she walked in, and then her haunches went back up again. She waved her hands around, "I'm here! Are you here? Are you here, you dick!?"

There was silence until she heard the squeak of shoes and saw a janitor running down the hall at her. She instinctively backed up as he lifted his hands, covered in blood, asking, "Where's the ambulance?"

Her gaze transfixed on his blood soaked hands, she asked, "What? Whoa!"

He looked down at his hands and realized what he must have looked like and shook his head quickly, "No, I thought you were the paramedics. One of the teachers fell. It's awful."

Audrey followed him after he explained and raced around the corner to see, "Ms. Lang." She really did look awful. She was on her front with blood pooling around her head.

The janitor bent down next to the teacher, "She's still breathing."

Audrey turned around when she heard someone and saw Brooke, gasping, "Oh, my God."

"Brooke, you were supposed to stay outside," Audrey tried to grab her arms and prevent her from going further.

"Did somebody call an ambulance?" Brooke shrieked, pushing past her and to Ms. Lang's side.

"Yeah, yeah, he did," Audrey said. She stared at Brooke fussing over Ms. Lang, wondering what the point of all of this was. What the freak on the phone wanted out of this situation. She didn't want to know what he had planned.


	10. Like a House on Fire

Athena practically slammed her hand on her alarm clock when 'Here Comes the Sun' started playing. She pulled out her workout gear and a change of clothes, set to get to school early. Her phone started ringing, flashing 'Unknown' on the caller ID. She stared at it, letting it ring and ring until she finally swiped her finger across the green button and put the phone to her ear, "What?"

"Is that any way to greet a friend?" the technology gnarled voice answered sweetly.

"You're no one's friend," she hissed.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," the voice gleefully mocked. "Boy, won't you be surprised, killer."

"Is that why you called me?" she asked. "Is that why you've been threatening Will? Because I killed Piper? Well, I'm glad I did. And if you're not careful, I'll kill you too."

"You won't get the chance," the voice got angry. "You're a murderer. That's all you are."

"And what are you then?" she spat at him. "You killed Jake, and dropped him on top of Brooke. You killed Eddie, and used him to lure us to the fairgrounds. You're a killer and a showman. So, what's next?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? Does Will know about Jules, Athena? Does he know that you've been lying to the entire town about who you really are?"

She was silent, not wanting to give anything away. The killer could use anything against her and she wasn't going to give him more leverage over her.

"I bet you don't want them to know. I bet you just want to pretend it never happened. Well, I wish I could pretend you didn't shoot Piper. But you did. So, buckle in, because you're in for a wild ride. You'll be exposed as the liar you are, the bloodletter you are."

"I will find you," she hissed into the phone. "And if you're not arrested first, I'll kill you too." With that said, she hung up on him.

* * *

Athena had a blank stare on her face, concentration in the dip of her forehead, moving her hands with a rhythm of thump, thump, thump, repetitively. The sandbag swung over the floor until Will walked over and put his hands on the back, holding it still. She kept on like she didn't even see him. Until a poorly place high kick almost nailed him in the head.

"Whoa!" he yelled, his fist holding her ankle in the air just a hair away from his face. "Maybe it's time to stop?"

"I'm so sorry," she gasped as he let her ankle down. "I wasn't paying attention."

"Yeah, I can see that," he stated, pulling on her hand so she came closer to him. "It's fine. No blood."

She sighed heavily through her nose. She starting unwinding the tape around her knuckles, "No blood yet."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Will tried to take her hands but she tugged them away, turning her back on him. "Athena, talk to me. What's going on in your head?"

"Nothing," she huffed, throwing the tape away and wiping down her face with her towel.

"Or too much," he responded, knowing her innately.

"Just leave it alone, we have enough to deal with without my existential identity crisis," she spat, throwing the towel to the floor.

"Athena, stop," he scolded, pulling on her shoulders and turning her around. "You can talk to me."

She scoffed, "I don't feel like it."

"I don't care," he bent a little to look her more level in the eye. "I'm your boyfriend, I am here to talk to you."

"You have enough to deal with," she protested, frowning. "You lost your best friend. Why am I a priority? I shouldn't be."

"But you are," he slightly shook her shoulders. "Yes, I know I lost Jake. I also lost Riley and Tyler and I'm terrified that I'm gonna lose someone else. I am terrified that I am going to lose you."

"And don't you figure that I fear the same about you?" she questioned. "The killer hates me. He threatened you. You're how he can be back at me."

"What?" he asked, confused.

"He called me, this morning," she retorted. "We had a whole, jolly conversation, about how he was gonna expose me. As a liar and a killer, that I am. To you, to the entire town."

"What does he have to expose?" Will asked.

"He knows about Jules," she revealed. "He must not know that I told you and the others. But I do not want the whole god forsaken town to know."

"If they do, so what?" Will asked. "All the important people know and haven't once judged you because of it. No one else matters."

"It matters to me because I am not Jules Tyler," she hissed. "And once they all know, that's all they'll see. They'll see her and wonder how to mash me into her and make me her but I'm not. The second I was taken, I became Athena Contos. But – but I'm not her either. And then I tried to come here and become Athena Tyler. But now – after what we found out – I can't be her either. I can't be a Tyler, I can't be a Contos. What the fuck am I supposed to call myself? Athena Acosta? I don't want to be her."

"Who you are has nothing to do with your surname," Will grasped her hips and pulled her into his chest. "You could call yourself any name you wanted and you would still be the wonderful person you are. You would still be the girl who saved my life too many times to count. The girl who saved us all from a maniac. The girl that I l-"

There was a loud bang of a door as a few athletes walked in, chatting and shoving each other playfully. Athena sighed and let her forehead briefly fall on his chest, "I have no idea who I am."

He pulled her face up to look at her, cupping her jaw, "I know who you are. I do. So don't worry right now. Just go get ready for classes and we'll do something later. Get our minds off everything."

"What did you have in mind, Pretty Boy?" she asked, letting a reluctant smile grace her face. She could only like him more when he consoled her and comforted her.

"The Carnival," he shrugged. "I know the whole thing is a big slap in our faces, but we might as well steal any moment we can for ourselves."

"Good argument," she said tiredly. "We'll go."

* * *

Noah and Audrey sat in the front seat of his car, silent for a few moments after Audrey told Noah about the messages written in blood on her mirror and ceiling. Noah gaped, "'No one will ever forgive you?'"

"Written in blood on my mirror," Audrey deadpanned.

"And '11 dead'?" Noah quoted.

Audrey started listing out the names, "Tyler, Nina, Rachel, Riley..."

"The guard at Branson's cell," Noah took over. "Grayson, Sheriff Hudson, Jake, Eddie, and..."

"Piper," Audrey listed the last name she could think of. "But that's still one short of 11."

"He's trying to get in your head," Noah stated, frustrated.

"Trying?" Audrey snarled sarcastically. "Noah, he's in there."

"You gotta take your power back!" he urged her. "You know? As long as you have this secret, the killer owns you."

Audrey huffed, "You're right, okay? You're right! I'm trapped. But if Emma finds out what I did, I might as well be dead."

"Tell Emma the truth and you'll be free," Noah insisted.

* * *

Athena had finally gotten through enough charcoal drafts of her skull drawing to start adding color. She pressed the red pencil into the paper and dragged it in smooth strokes. She felt nudging on her shoulder and looked over to see Emma peering at her, "Hey, you okay?"

She shook her head and answered honestly, "Not even remotely, but now's not the time, okay?"

Emma frowned but nodded anyway.

The PA system crackled, "Hello, students. This is Mayor Maddox. Many of your parents have called with concerns about the impending Lakewood Days Carnival. Your safety is our primary concern, but what we will not do..."

The bell rang and everyone packed up their things, ignoring the tail end of his little announcement, "... is miss this town's 100th birthday. We have too much pride and a rich history of overcoming adversity."

"What the Hell does he know about overcoming adversity?" Athena droned. "No offense, Brooke."

"That's okay, it's true," Brooke drawled back.

"So, join me in this celebration of courage and life, not fear. See you at the fairgrounds."

The girls walked over to Noah, Stavo and Audrey just as Stavo was saying, "This whole 'hundred years of perfect Lakewood' is some real BS."

"Is it?" Brooke cut in, going to Audrey's side. "Why don't we give positivity a try, hmm?"

"That sounds like a campaign slogan," Stavo drawled, giving Athena a brief smile.

"Yeah, well, it beats the crappy alternative," Brooke droned. She sighed, "I have to do a speech tonight, so everybody get in the mood and come."

"Of course we'll be there," Athena assured her, taking her hand on her other side.

Audrey looked at the blonde, "You know you have plenty of reasons to bow out."

"I would," Brooke frowned, "but my dad is in high gear politically. He had a fire at one of his real estate properties last night, so he needs me to..."

"Join him in this celebration of courage and life?" Noah quoted.

"He needs me to smile and wave," she said sarcastically. She laid her head in Audrey's shoulder, "Don't make me go through this fiasco alone."

* * *

"This is everything from Lang's desk, and it's all been processed," a deputy said, walking into Sheriff Acosta's office with a box of what they'd cleared from the counselor's desk. "That's a nasty fall. Probably not an accident. Her office was ransacked. Somebody was looking for something."

Miguel started going through the box, "Photos, interview notes, psych evaluations... What the hell was this woman up to?"

He saw session tapes, labeled with student's names on them. He saw one at the top with his son's name on it and slowly put it into the top drawer of his desk. He did much the same with when he found a file with Athena's name on it.

* * *

"Okay, Emma, what the fuck were you thinking?" Athena gaped at her friend over lunch. The girl had pulled her aside to ask her advice. "I mean, seriously – Eli? Kieran's cousin, the freak with the mind tricks and trying to kiss you. And you went with him to an abandoned house without telling anyone where you were going."

"I know, it was stupid," Emma flinched.

"Did you see someone start that fire?" Athena asked, concerned. "Are you okay?"

"No, we're fine," she said. "I just don't know what to do. Kieran has been telling the Sheriff about all this stuff. You're the only one I can think of that won't go babbling this around, whether on a podcast or to the police."

"Emma, you need to tell the police that you were there," Athena cautioned her. "You can't know that there's no evidence of you being there even with the fire. You have to tell the Sheriff because that fire may have been set by the killer and it won't be linked to Jake's murder until they know you were there and a possible victim."

Emma let out a shaky sigh, "Yeah, yeah you're right."

* * *

Emma sat back in the Sheriff's office when he walked in, "So, I just spoke to Eli. Interesting kid. How long have you two known each other?"

"Uh, not long," Emma thought out loud. "He just moved here. We, uh... he's Kieran's cousin, actually."

"So, you two were looking around, exploring," Acosta painted a picture for her. "I mean, I get it. It's a... it's a strange place, that development. Just sitting there, empty. Did you check out the whole place?"

She shook her head, "No, we basically just stayed in the living room."

"Did, uh, Eli go out – maybe go back to his car?" Acosta suggested.

"No. We were together the whole time," Emma frowned. "Why?"

"Well, we believe the fire was set intentionally," he explained, sitting down at his desk.

"We didn't start that fire," Emma protested.

"Look, Emma..." he sighed, "your friend Eli... he's been in trouble before."

"I know that."

"There's a young woman in Atlanta, about your age," he told her, "who had a restraining order out against him. Apparently, he liked to go places he shouldn't. This time, her bedroom."

Emma gaped, "There must be a mistake."

"If I were you, I'd be careful who I hang out with, especially these days," he cautioned. "I wouldn't follow a boy I barely knew to an isolated location." After he was done lecturing her, he sighed and softened, "Now, I might... be out of place here... but Kieran Wilcox wasn't ratting on you. He was trying to help you out."

"I know," Emma stated. "My mom is waiting for me. Are we done?"

He stared at her a moment before saying, "Yeah."

After Emma's interview, the Sheriff pulled Maggie into his office, "I need you back on this case. I need you to identify those bodies." He put forth photos of burnt up bodies they'd found in the house. "I'm guessing they're victims in the same murder spree that started with Jake." He held up a photo of Emma with a dark figure behind her, the face scratched out. Emma was young, maybe four. "Now, this is that picture of Emma at the pig farm. You know where I'm going with this and I need answers. For our children, for all these kids, help me find this monster."

"Our children?" Maggie looked at him expectantly. "Have you seen Diana since you moved back to town? Have you contacted Athena outside of this investigation?"

"No, and no," he replied with a stern voice. "And I don't plan on it."

"You can't pretend that what's happening isn't, Miguel," Maggie insisted. "I have learned, over and over again, that keeping secrets from our kids only makes things worse. Now that Athena is back in Lakewood, she deserves to know the truth, all of it."

"That's not your call."

* * *

Once Maggie left his office, Miguel pushed the cassette tape with his son's name on it into a player and put some headphones into his ears, listening to the recording. While it played, he peered at the file Ms. Lang had started compiling on Athena.

"That's why you kept the bodies?" Ms. Lang's voice.

His son sounded bored, "It's a matter of perspective. Michelangelo needed subjects, so he robbed graves. Art history remembers him as a god. But how is what he did any more grotesque than someone like Ed Gein?"

"Edward Gein wasn't just a grave robber. He was a serial killer."

"Like I said. Perspective."

Miguel cursed to himself, flipping through the pages of Athena's file, seeing photos of her from when she was a toddler, labeled with her birth name. Then photos ranging from year to year with the name Athena Contos taped on them. There were pages upon pages of notes about everything public record had on her. And then he came upon one very weird note.

I have to get her alone, get her to talk to me. She's the missing piece.

"What the hell?"

* * *

Miguel felt like an asshole father cliché as he tore through his son's room looking for something he'd found and tried desperately to push away as inconsequential – a Brandon James' mask. She just about turned over the whole damn room when Gustavo walked in, "What the hell are you doing?"

He didn't bother to explain, only asking, "Where is it?"

"Where's what?" Gustavo asked, keeping his backpack on him.

"You know damn well what," Miguel pointed at him accusingly.

"This is my room!" Gustavo shouted. "You have no right to be in here!"

"I'm your father!" Miguel shot at him. "I'm responsible for you and the lives of every citizen in this town. So, I need to know, where is the mask?"

Gustavo dropped his face into a blank expression, "What mask?"

Miguel held in a sigh, "Stavo... we came here for a fresh start, to put Phoenix behind us."

Stavo frowned, "I told you, it was an accident."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Miguel said. "It's what you did after the gun went off that troubles me."

"He was my friend!" Stavo glared at his father. "I needed to remember how it felt. It was important to me."

Miguel scoffed, "It's always about your art."

"You really think I carve people up and hang them up like pieces of meat?" Stavo questioned him. "That's who you think I am? If you think I'm a killer... prove it." He turned back around to walk out of his room. But he paused in the door, wanting to turn around and tell his father that he knew about all of his hypocrisy. That he knew his father had cared nothing for his other child, stayed out of her life for as long as she lived. That he had kept the fact that he was her real father from both of them for all of their lives.

But he didn't. He just kept walking, wanting to also get as far away from his dad as he could at the moment.

* * *

 


	11. One Hundred Years

"What do you want to do?" Will asked, intertwining his fingers with Athena's as they walked through the carnival. He held out his blue cotton candy to her, letting her drag out a puff of the sugar ball.

She let the sugar melt on her tongue, musing in her own thoughts, before shrugging, "Nothing that'll give me homicidal thoughts."

"Meaning nothing with annoying people?" he guessed, knowing her. "This is a carnival, you know that right?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "We could do the Ferris wheel, make out when we get to the top."

"Sounds like a plan," he kissed her cheek and pulled her over to the Ferris wheel at the end of the carnival. They had to wait in line for about ten minutes, but in the mean time they were able to talk and act like a real couple.

She felt like a real teenager, a real girlfriend, for once since moving to Lakewood, with Will's arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into his chest. She felt secure and happy, for once. She forgot about the phone call with the new killer that morning and her past, her secrets. And she could only believe that all these feelings were because of Will. He brought a calmness into her chaotic life. He made her happy when she felt stressed and overwhelmed. He made her stop and think when all she wanted to do was lash out.

And she loved him for it. She just couldn't say it out loud.

They finally got onto their own seat on the Ferris wheel, keeping their arms around each other as their seat rotated to the top. She looked around at the carnival, at all the people milling around in crowds of laughter and mayhem. "They look so small."

Will squeezed his arm around her shoulders, "Makes you feel big, doesn't it?"

She laid her head on his shoulder, "Makes me feel tall. Makes me feel like – I don't know – like all of this has a reason to it. I can't put my finger on it. Every little speck on the ground looks like a piece of a puzzle."

"And we're a part of it," he whispered, kissing her temple. "One big puzzle called Lakewood."

She let her lungs fill up with air before letting it out of her chest in a sigh as their seat descended to the ground, "And we're not gonna let him get another piece of it."

"Exactly," Will agreed, taking her hand so they were walking again own the other side of the carnival. They approached some of the games and he stopped them at a basketball contest. "Pick a prize, and I'll win it for you."

She smirked, "Any prize?"

He smiled at her, briefly pressing his forehead to hers, "Any prize. I didn't get into Duke for this sport for nothing."

She looked at the prizes from their spot in line, pondering which one would be more appreciated, have a place in her room. She smiled when she caught sight of a classic brown teddy bear with a white heart shaped belly. She used to have one like it growing up. But when she found out the truth about her 'parents' she didn't want anything left of them. Out of spite and lack of time to pack, she left it behind. Seeing the teddy bear up on the wall of prizes reminded her of being a kid. She wanted to feel like that again.

So, she pointed up at it with a smile, "That one. The bear."

They had just gotten to the front, Will being handed a plastic small basketball. He kissed her cheek, "The bear it is."

The object of the game was to simply shoot the ball into the three hoops sliding back and forth on the wall. A feat that Will achieved easily, without even thinking about it. He had a smirk plastered on his face as he pointed out the bear and handed it off to her, "One new teddy bear for my beautiful girlfriend."

She blushed under the praise as they continued walking, "Thank you. What should I name him?"

"Will?" he suggested with a light chuckle.

She laughed, "Right."

"What?" He laughed back. "It's a good name."

"It's also taken – by you," she pointed out. "I'll figure out a good name for him."

He put his arm around her, "This feels a bit surreal, doesn't it? Being here at a carnival after everything we've been through. I was so convinced after being kidnapped that I would never feel normal again. But here, with you, I feel blissfully normal."

"I was thinking the same thing earlier," Athena told him, weaving her arm around his back.

"Really?" he asked, pulling her around to face him. "Do I make you happy?"

"Yes," she answered, not bothering with the obvious 'why do you ask?' that usually followed such a heavy question. She just gave him her honesty.

He reached up to cup her face with his hand, "Good, I've been trying to. You've been making me happy most of the time too."

"Most of the time?" she teased, quirking one eyebrow up.

He laughed, "Yeah, most of the time." He sobered up, his expression changing. Not to a bad one. Just more serious, but still with a quirk of a smile to his lips. Before she could ask him where his thought process was going, he stated very simple yet profound words that made her freeze, "I love you, Athena."

"Athena, Will!" Emma's voice interrupted them before Athena could stutter out any kind of emotional response.

Athena blushed heavily when Emma and Audrey waltzed up to them, "Hey guys. Having fun?"

"Sure," Emma smiled, munching on pink cotton candy. "That's a cute bear."

"Thanks. Pretty boy won it on the basketball game," Athena gestured to the game vaguely.

"Practice for off-season?" Emma asked, looking over a Will.

He shrugged, keeping his arm around Athena's shoulders, "Just showing off."

Just then, Eli walked over to Emma and asked her quietly, "Hey, Emma. Can we talk?"

Emma frowned, letting him pull her a little way away from the other three. Athena could just make out him asking about whatever the Sheriff said to her, if she thought that he started the fire.

"No, I don't think you started the fire," Emma said. "But the Sheriff told me what happened in Atlanta... and that made me realize that I don't know you at all."

"What's going on?" Will asked, looking between his ex and Athena.

She shrugged, "I don't know the details. Eli is a bit sketchy."

She could see, in the distance, Kieran walking over. Emma tried to walk around Eli and back to them, but he grabbed her arm, "Emma, wait. I would never do anything to hurt you, okay?"

Kieran ran over and shoved Eli away, "Get off her!"

Eli tried to play it cool, "Back off, dude. This is not your business."

"I'm making it my business," Kieran growled, getting in his face.

Emma went to get in between them, but Will got there first, pulling Kieran away, "Hey, hey. Let's calm down."

"Will's right," Emma rasped, pulling on Kieran's arm. "Let's not do this right now. Okay? Please?"

Kieran took a breath to calm down and backed away, pointing a finger at Eli, "Stay away from her. Stop telling stories."

Eli smirked, "Don't worry, Kieran. It's not like I told her the worst part."

Kieran froze, clenching his fists as he lurched forward and punched Eli in the face. Gasps broke out in the crowd around them as people rapidly backed out of the way. Kieran had Eli on the ground in seconds before Will was able to strong arm him off.

"What the Hell are you doing?" Emma screamed, looking at Kieran.

He didn't say a word, just running off. Eli wiped at the blood on his chin, "You see, Emma? I'm not the one you should be afraid of."

"Come on," Athena said, tugging on Emma's arm so they started walking away from him.

Will briefly put his hand on Emma's shoulder before walking to Athena's side, "Are you all right?"

Emma nodded, looking at him with a soothing expression, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Lady of the Lake Pageant will begin shortly. Please join us at the stage."

"We should head over," Athena mumbled awkwardly, looking between Will and Emma. "We need to support Brooke."

Will kept his arms around her waist, pulling her back into his chest as they stood in the crowd while the pageant princesses – her words, not theirs – made their speeches.

Zoe stood on the stage with a big ol' smile in her beautiful pink dress that Brooke picked out for her. "...So, in the end, I guess you could say that small towns are a great place to launch big futures. And that is why I love Lakewood. Thank you."

Athena half lifted her hands to give some applause for both herself and Will while the show runner nervously stepped back onto the stage and spoke in the mic with a wide Stepford smile, "And that was Zoe Vaughn. Thank you, Zoe! Please give a warm welcome for Brooke Maddox."

She gave some stronger applause as the blonde traipsed and tripped onto the stage, practically ripping the mic from the woman's hands. She was giggling and tilting from foot to foot as she spoke energetically, "Whoo! I, um... I had a speech prepared that I, uh... I worked on with my dad. Hi, Daddy! But, uh... I think I'm just gonna wing it." She said the last part with such confidence and flippant humor, it concerned Athena and the others immediately. Brooke looked like she was in a tornado of emotion, "Look at us... having a carnival... making speeches..."

Athena leaned her head back on Will's shoulder to whisper to him, "She's sloshed, isn't she?"

"It looks that way," he whispered back, his smile half fallen. "How did she even do that?"

Athena shrugged, "It's Brooke."

Brooke's face fell to a serious expression, "I just wanted to get real for a second. Some of you probably know I was... supposed to be here tonight with my boyfriend, Jake Fitzgerald. But I guess we all know what happened with that, right?" She gave a sardonic laugh and tossed her hair back over her shoulder. Her face crumpled, making Athena shudder. "I... I miss him so much. But... I mean, Jake had a great sense of humor. This all just feels so appropriate, 'cause this carnival's a joke!" She spat out the last word like venom from her tongue into the air, as if she could hurt the people in front of her. She glared out at them, "Congratulations, Lakewood. Happy one hundred years of lying to yourself! Lakewood is cursed. People die in this town. All the time. And we act like nothing happened. I almost died!" Her voice cracked on that last word.

The show-runner tried to step in and take the mic, speaking in her chipper tone, "And thank you very much..."

Brooke yanked the mic away from her, "No! I'm not done." She breathed in heavily as she continued, "And you know what I saw? Nothing! No white light. Just big, black, empty nothing."

Athena flinched, turning herself so her arms were around Will's back and her face pressed into his chest, trying to get closer to him. She flashed back to that afternoon she and Emma found him tied up, about to get cut in half. If Emma had made it one more step, Will would be gone. Where Jake is. Not next to her, touching her. She couldn't bear the thought.

Will's hands rubbed up and down her back, knowing she needed soothing. But she still felt on edge.

"And that's where Jake is right now!" Brooke cried out. "Instead of up here, with me, where he belonged. Unless we wake up and stop acting like this isn't Murderville, we're all gonna end up like Jake. And we'll deserve it. But he didn't." By the end of her speech, her face had drawn down into a blank, empty stare, as she dropped the mic with an audible electronic whine. She stalked off the stage with a click clack of her heels as the show-runner tried to salvage the pageant.

"Come on," Will murmured, gently pulling her away and leading her to the backstage area.

They met Emma, Audrey, Noah and Zoe back there, all trying to calm Brooke down. Emma sat the blonde up in one of the vanity chairs and kept a hand on her arm. Zoe walked off to get her some water to drink.

"What did I just do?" Brooke mumbled to the ground.

"I don't know, but it was kind of awesome," Audrey gave the girl a smirk.

"Kind of?" Noah scoffed. "You just read the entire town the riot act for having a beauty pageant instead of a funeral. Nicely done, Brooke Maddox."

Athena stepped forward and hugged the girl, "You did good, Blondie."

"Felt good," Brooke murmured. "Do you think Jake would have liked it?"

Athena pulled back, looking her in the eye, "He would have been cheering you on the whole time."

"Drink this," Zoe's voice sounded next to them, shoving a water bottle into Brooke's hands.

"How did you get so drunk?" Will asked, linking his hand with Athena's.

Zoe gaped like a fish out of water, "I gave her a shot and I didn't really..."

"Hey, I got myself drunk," Brooke slurred, gulping down the water. "Thank you."

"Brooke!" Maddox stomped over, staring her down. "Honey, what were you thinking?"

She stared blankly up at him, "What can I say, Dad? It was the truth... Jake would have liked that speech."

The Mayor softened, "Oh, honey..." he took her into his arms and helped her stand, "Honey... come on. Let's get you home." He gently led her away, acting like an actual father for once.

The sun was setting low on the sky as Will pulled Athena over to a park table and sat down, "Are you hungry or anything? We can try to get something here before they start packing up, or we can head to the Grindhouse or something."

Athena blankly shook her head, "I don't really feel like eating after Brooke's speech."

"Yeah," he mumbled, "that was something else, huh?"

She nodded, clearing her throat and pulling her hair back almost as a reflex, "A bit of arsenic for thought. And I feel a bit of a horrible person for just thinking about what I could be going through if it had been you. Of course, I feel horrible for her. And I actually do miss Jake too."

"I know," he but her off gently, pulling her face to look at him. "I know you miss him. We all miss him. But you're not a horrible person for being thankful that I'm alive. I feel grateful that you're alive every day. That's okay."

She nodded, feeling her throat burn with tears building up in her eyes, "I know. Just doesn't help her. And I don't know how to because ever since she made that speech I just keep thinking about that day at your house. First time I've ever been there, and it was to stop you from getting your head split open. And I keep thinking, what if I hadn't been there?"

"But you were," he pressed, keeping his grip strong on her face so she couldn't look away from him. "You were there and I'm here. It's useless to keep thinking about what could be happening now if things happened differently before. Okay? And – if it makes you feel better, you can be here with me all the time."

"Twenty-four seven?" she questioned, letting a playful tone seep into her voice, wanting to blow past the heavy stuff. "How are we gonna swing that?"

He shrugged, "Well, I pretty much stay at your place every night anyway. I'm convinced Diana and Till know that I'm there but just don't say anything."

"They're probably afraid I'll shout at them again or something," Athena snorted.

Will swung his leg over the seat so he was straddling it. He pulled her closer between his legs, stroking her hair when she placed her head on his shoulder. "We're going to be okay. As long as I have you, I won't let anything happen to you and you won't let anything happen to me."

"The park will be closing in 30 minutes," a voice announced on the loud speaker. "Please find the closest exit. Thank you for coming to the Lakewood Days Carnival. See you tomorrow!"

"Guess we should get going?" Will suggested. "I bet you that Mario's is still open. We can get tacos."

"Tempting me with tacos, Belmont?" she teased, taking his outstretched hand to help her stand up. "Is that how you expect to get me into bed?"

"Like I need to bribe you for that," he joked, leaning in to kiss her cheek before winding his arm around her shoulders and leading her to the exit by where he parked his truck.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket when it dinged with a text from Audrey.

Have you seen Emma? Can't find her.

She slowed down, frowning at the text, "Audrey can't find Emma."

"What?" Will asked, worried.

Athena looked around the dwindling carnival, "She has to be here somewhere. She can't be stupid enough to really wander off alone for no reason."

"Unless she had a reason," Will gulped. "What if she was lured off somewhere?"

"Shit," she cursed. "Seriously, one day off, is that too much to ask?"

"Apparently," Will mumbled, starting to search around the place for Emma. "Where would he take her?"

"Somewhere close," Athena guessed. "Somewhere isolated, disorienting, ironic."

"Fun house?" Will guessed.

"Exactly like that," Athena breathed, running with him towards the fun house. By the time they got there, the Sheriff and a handful of deputies were lining up outside the fun house entrance with vests and guns.

One of the officers kept back, "All right, stay back. Get these people back."

Athena and Will didn't listen well, getting as close as they could when the masked killer ran out of the building, a knife in his hand. She gasped, lurching forward angrily but Will quickly grabbed her waist and pulled her back into his chest.

"Drop the weapon!" the Sheriff yelled. The masked man frantically shook his head. "I said, drop the weapon!"

"Get down on your knees! Down on your knees, now!" another officer shouted.

The next moment Emma ran out of the fun house with a gun in her hand. Athena stilled in Will's grasp, "Jesus..."

"Emma, drop the weapon," Miguel tried to urge her calmly.

"Where's Kieran?" she shrieked, pointing the gun at the masked villain. "Where's Kieran!?"

"Emma, listen to me," Miguel stepped closer to her. "Emma... Emma, step back and drop the weapon."

She took a startled breath, as if she didn't realize that he was there and slowly crouched, putting the gun on the ground. An officer came over and gently pulled her arms behind her back, ushering her back. Another officer rushed to the masked man and got a grip on the hand with the knife. When he went to cuff him, he noticed there was duct tape attaching the knife to the hand. He unwound the tape and got the knife while a different officer came over and pulled on the mask to reveal Kieran with pain in his eyes and his mouth taped shut.

"Oh my god, Kieran!" Emma gasped shrilly. "Kieran!"

"Oh my god," Athena sagged into Will.

* * *

"So much for tacos and relaxing," Athena sighed as she changed into her pajamas while Will reclined on her bed. "I can't believe he got Emma to shoot at Kieran."

"He's been trying to turn us all against each other from the get-go," Will surmised. "You remember how the lock down went."

"Right," she slipped a tank top on and crawled into bed. "I think it's a good idea to get rid of all his ammo. All the secrets. What if he knows that Miguel is my father? It's not like he hid the evidence well. Stavo found it."

"Then what do you want to do?" he asked her, stringing his fingers through the ends of her hair as she laid half on top of him. "Tell everyone that Miguel is your biological father?"

"I want to talk to Diana about it, I want to get the truth," she pressed her lips into his shoulder.

"Then we'll do that," Will kissed her head. "Go to sleep, baby."

She hummed lightly but it turned into a groan when her cell phone chimed again. She reached across Will's chest to grab her phone off the charger cord and opened the message from 'A Special Friend' to see an audio recording. "What now?" she asked, not expecting an answer, pressing on the file for it to play.

Noah's voice came on, clear as his podcast, "Testing, testing. Welcome to The Morgue... I thought you were going home."

"What?" Will asked groggily.

Audrey's voice answered, "I was... but, if I don't tell you this tonight, I may never be able to."

"Okay, go."

"I know why the killer is after me. He knows what I've done... and that I would do anything to keep it secret... I brought Piper to Lakewood."

Athena's face hardened, "What the fuck?"


	12. Time to Party

"This isn't happening, this isn't happening," Athena whispered to herself, over and over again, pacing the length of her bedroom.

Will watched patiently from the foot of the bed, "It is, okay? Audrey-"

"Was  _friends_  with that monster!" she nearly shrieked, catching herself just at the end of her words so as not to wake anyone up. "Brought her here, started all of this. And never said a word. Even when bodies started falling from the freaking sky."

"I know," Will sighed, pressing his forehead into his fists, his elbows resting on his knees. "This is so messed up."

Tears started to fall from her eyes. She just couldn't help feeling betrayed and raw, like her skin was scrubbed red or off. She tried to breathe deeply, calm herself down. But it wasn't happening. She backed up until her back hit the wall by her door and slid down, tucking her knees to her chest. "I can't believe this."

Will finally stood up, his jaw clenched in thinly veiled anger as he knelt in front of her. He kept his own reservations pushed down as he pulled her hands away from her face and kissed them in his grip. "Believe this – you and me. We survive. Whether it's physical battles or the mental ones. We will survive this."

"She lied to us," Athena whispered. "How do we know she isn't lying to us about something worse?"

"We don't yet," he answered, pressing his forehead into her knees.

"Do you think Emma got the same email?" Athena asked, jolting when her phone started ringing.

Will rocked back onto his feet and stood up, grabbing her phone from the bed. "Looks like she must have – it's Emma," he handed her her cell.

"Emma?" she answered her phone. "Did you get it too?"

"Yes," her voice was a low growl. "This is totally insane. I can not believe Audrey is the one who set Piper loose on Lakewood. She actually came over here. She tried to explain it away. She tried to tell me that she was going to tell me the truth. That it wasn't what I thought. I kicked her out."

Athena let her hair fall back into the plaster behind her with a low thump, "It is insane. I don't even know how to react. I feel frozen."

Will slid down on the wall next to her and pulled her into his arms, half on his lap. "It'll be okay."

"Is Will there?" Emma asked, a certain edge to her voice.

"Yeah," Athena replied distractedly. "We were getting ready to sleep when I got the email. And now I feel too fired up to sleep."

"Me too," Emma let out a shaky breath. "I'm sorry to call so late. I just wanted to know if you had gotten the same email."

"I did," she said. "Look, we're both angry. Let's just get some sleep, go to school tomorrow. There's nothing we can do tonight."

"You're right," Emma sighed. "I'll try. Goodnight."

"Night," Athena hung up and tossed her phone on the bed. She let her head fall onto Will's chest and shoulder, "Do you think we can sleep?"

Instead of answering with words, he strung his arms under her body and her legs and lifted her up as he stood, with little difficulty. He laid them both on the bed and kept his arms firmly around her, as if trying to protect her and make sure she didn't disappear. She felt him kiss the back of her head and smiled, closing her eyes.

* * *

Athena took deep breaths in and out of her nose on her way into the High School with Will by her side. She could only barely hold on to her temper as she made her way into the hall. She and Emma almost immediately found each other, staying by each other's sides with Kieran and Will while Brooke trailed behind them, catching up on the situation.

"I don't understand," the blonde stated. "Audrey?"

"Yeah. It's unreal," Emma said.

"All that stuff about Piper, everything that she said... it was just a lie?" Brooke asked.

"Yes," Kieran rasped, exasperated. "Right to our faces, everyday."

They were walking down the hall, passing Haley going the other direction. She smirked at all of them in turn, "Hey, you guys. Enjoyed your freak show at the carnival last night."

"You're pathetic, Haley," Athena snarled at her, having to be pulled away by Will.

"Hey!" Kieran pointed out Noah walking towards them, "there he is."

Emma walked right up to him, "How long have you known, Noah?"

Noah frowned, "A few days. I'm so sorry I didn't say anything."

Emma scoffed, "No, you are not sorry. You promised Audrey that you wouldn't tell me."

"I thought that she should be the one to tell you," he insisted.

"And she didn't," Athena pointed out. "She didn't say a thing until we got the email with the recording that you made."

"What?" he gaped at her. "Can I see that email, please?" Emma handed over her phone and he studied it, frowning, "'Secret Friend'?"

"Yeah, it's obviously fake," she shrugged.

"But imminently traceable," he murmured, tapping around on the screen. He sent the email to himself and handed back her phone, still a sober expression on his face, "Look, Audrey has just been destroyed..."

Emma let out a laugh, "Audrey's been destroyed? Noah, our friends were being killed, and she didn't say anything to anyone, including you!"

"Emma..." Audrey's voice sounded from right behind them.

She turned around, glaring at her, "No." She walked away but Audrey tried to go after her.

"No, look, I just want..." she tried to appease them.

Kieran put his arm out, blocking her, "Let her be."

"Emma, I didn't know it was Piper!" Audrey insisted.

Emma whirled on her, "Oh, my God! Yes, you did! You just didn't want people to blame you!"

"That is not true," Audrey said.

"It is!" she hissed. "It is true! And guess what? Everyone should blame you. I blame you!" She shoved her hands into Audrey's chest roughly, pushing her into the lockers behind her with a metallic thump. The other classmates around them gasped and started murmuring among themselves.

Athena pulled on Emma's arm and nudged her towards Kieran, "Go take a breather, Em."

The girl let Kieran lead her towards her locker, leaving Athena to stare straight at Audrey with betrayal in her eyes.

Audrey looked shameful under her stare, "Athena, I can explain – everything."

"What could you possibly say to excuse this?" Athena scoffed at her. "Even if you're telling the truth and you didn't have any idea that Piper was the killer until that night – after everything you still kept your mouth shut. We were all recovering from what happened and you didn't say a word. Nothing is going to make that okay."

Athena didn't bother waiting for a reply, turning around and walking off with Will and Brooke. She stopped at her locker and opened it, seeing a folded piece of paper taped to the inside of the door with capitalized letters spelling out; FROM: YOUR SPECIAL FRIEND.

She only vaguely heard Stavo's voice greet her, "Hey. I wanted to see how you were doing."

She didn't answer, pulling the paper from the metal and unfolding it. In black and white print was a photo of her when she was three years old, with all the information and her birth name from the original missing child milk carton type alerts that went out when she was first taken. Only next to the younger photo was a picture of her from the newspapers after she killed Piper, with her current name above it. In marker at the bottom were the words; 'THE TRUTH WILL COME OUT SOON. ARE YOU READY, KILLER?'

Tunnel vision set in around her eyes, focusing on the side by side photos of herself. Her rib cage capsized on her lungs, as if they were too small to fill up with enough air. Words were garbled and distorted in her ears but she knew Will, Brooke and Stavo were talking to her.

"Hey, babe," Will cooed, taking the paper from her. "Shit."

"What is it?" Stavo snatched the paper from him and looked at it. "Shit."

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Somebody has to snap her out of this."

"Baby, look at me," Will cupped her head and tilted it back up to look at him. "Breathe, in and out. This – doesn't matter. We survive, remember?"

"This can't get out," she whispered. "The whole town will treat me like some kind of psycho, ready to blow. I'm already in print as the girl who killed Piper. This will just make everything worse."

"Even if it does get out, who cares?" Stavo asked, shrugging his shoulders. "You're still you."

"He's right," Brooke piped in. "We're not going to let anyone mess with you."

She shook her head, "You guys I trust. It's the rest of Lakewood I don't trust with this. If it gets too big, it could become national news, everyone would know that I'm here. I will never be able to escape Jules Tyler  _or_  Athena Contos."

Will pulled her into his chest, at a loss for words. He didn't know anything that could somehow make it better. Because she was right. If people knew the truth, she would always be known as Jules Tyler, the girl who got kidnapped and returned so many years later alive. She would be trapped in that shadow, as that girl, or in the enormous shadow of the criminals who raised her. He hoped somehow that they could avoid that. That somehow the killer would forget or decide not to expose her secret. He couldn't say anything other than, "It's going to be okay. No matter what happens, we'll all be right there with you."

She nodded into his chest, "I think I'm going to just go home. I can't possibly focus on school right now."

"I'll go too," Will offered. "I can take you to get your car back later."

She nodded a bit absentmindedly, "Okay, let's go."

"Text me if you need anything," Brooke said as they started walking away.

Athena gave her a smile, "Sure. I'll see you guys later."

* * *

"I got an ID on the second body," Maggie lightly knocked on Miguel's door briefly before making her way into his office and dropping her file onto his desk.

"Body?" he asked, distracted by the case files of Ms. Lang.

"From the fire? Eddie Hayes, 24," she nodded. "He had an insulin pump implant. I matched him to the serial number. He was a clerk at the Crescent Palms Motel." She noticed he seemed distracted, staring at something on his desk. "Something wrong?" she asked.

He responded absentmindedly, "What? No, I'm fine."

"You don't seem fine," she responded gently. "You said you needed my help on this case," she said.

"And I do," he insisted.

She closed the door softly behind her. "I've been through this. It's not a normal case. If you want to stay objective, you're gonna have to find a way to deal with your personal stuff."

He mulled over her words and answered, "Stavo didn't come home last night. I've been trying to call him, but he won't answer my calls."

"Was he at school today?" she asked.

He nodded, "Apparently."

She leaned back in her chair with relief, "Well, at least you know he's okay."

"That's just it," he replied. "I'm not so sure. Ever since..."

"Since when?" she prompted, leaning forward slightly.

"Phoenix," he answered. "It happened right after his mother died. Stavo and his best friend, Kyle... somehow, they got a hold of my gun. They were messing around with it and it went off. And the boy, Kyle... got shot in the face."

"Oh, my God," Maggie gasped softly.

"Stavo called it in, but, by the time I got there, the boy was dead," he elaborated.

"He must have been traumatized," Maggie sighed. "To see his friend die in front of his eyes like that..."

Miguel wanted to agree, but he couldn't, "He was cool as a cucumber. He was drawing... in his notebook."

"Drawing what?"

"Kyle... dying... dead..." he trailed off. "There was a question as to how long the boy was bleeding before he called it in. Ultimately, they ruled it an accidental death." He let out a sigh, thinking back to the whole situation. "We came to Lakewood for a fresh start, but, then, I found these in his room."

He opened a file on his desk and handed her a pile of photos, drawings of Stavo. Maggie saw the first one, of her daughter with blood on her and a knife in her skull but her face still alive and aware. She saw others of Noah, Audrey, Ms. Lang on the ground bleeding, Seth Branson handcuffed by one arm to a bed. She stopped at a rough sketch of Athena, dressed in a black swaying dress and long hooded black robe. She held a scythe in one hand and what looked like a dripping heart in the other. Her face was fierce, determined, beautiful. She slid that sketch across the desk, "Did you see this one? Of Athena?"

"Yeah," he replied distractedly. "She's part of the little group, he draws all of them."

"But look at the differences," she urged him. "Everyone else is drawn as victims, dead or undead or dying. They're just parts of the story. Look at how he drew her. He drew her as the hero – he made her beautiful. He cares about her more of all the rest of them."

"What are you saying?" he prompted.

"He loves her," she said. "Do you think he knows who she is to him?"

Instantly, Miguel shook his head, "Not a chance. I mean, how could anyone guess that?"

Maggie shrugged, "Do you have any of her letters, the photos she sent you of Athena? Could he have found those?"

"Yes, I have them, but I hid them away years ago," he explained. "There's no way he knows."

"You need to pay attention, Miguel," she told him. "He's telling the truth in his drawings, how he sees the others. And he reveres her more than all of them. There has to be a reason for that."

Miguel looked at the drawing of Athena in deep thought, "If he does – do you think he would tell her?... Would she even..."

"Would she what, Miguel?"

"Would she like me?" he asked, showing insecurities for once.

Maggie sighed, having no real answers, "I don't know. That's something you would have to ask her."

* * *

Athena as still quiet and distracted while Will drove them to her house and she let them in the front door. By the amount of keys hanging, she knew that Diana was home. So overcome with anger, indignation, she grabbed Will's hand and marched into the kitchen. She stopped short when she saw her Aunt Abby at the counter with her. "Abby?"

Her Aunt smiled and hugged her, "Hey, sweetie."

"Sweetheart, what are you doing home so early?" Diana asked, a tentative smile on her face.

Athena sighed, "It was too intense today."

"What happened?" she asked, concerned. She went to walk around the counter and hug her daughter, but Athena backed up into Will's chest.

"Is Till my real father?" she asked, no preamble, no buildup. Just like a band-aid.

Diana balked at the question, "What? Of course he is."

"I'm going to ask one more time and I want the truth, Diana," Athena spoke lowly, not room for emotion or bullshit. "Is Till Tyler my biological father, or is it Sheriff Acosta?"

Diana's face dropped dramatically, pail, small, drawn in, "How... what? How..."

"How do I know?" Athena finished for her, bitterly. "Stavo found all your letters to each other. The photos and updates you sent him about me. Miguel kept all of it."

"Oh, my God," Diana whispered, tears building in her eyes. "Sweetheart, it's a lot more complicated than you realize-"

"No, it's not," Athena spat. "It's not complicated. You screwed around and you lied about it my whole damn life. Even when I was taken, it never occurred to you to come clean, to maybe think that the police might be able to use that information. You promised me no more secrets. But you lied. You  _keep_  keeping secrets when shit hits the fan, knowing it could help, knowing it could be important. Why? Did you think I didn't deserve to know where half my DNA comes from?"

"Miguel is not your father," Diana insisted. "Even if he is blood, he didn't raise you."

"Neither did Till," she pointed out. "Neither did you. Gretchen and Alonzo did. I don't really prefer to think of them as my parents now."

"And you shouldn't," she agreed. "But Till is the one who stood by me when I gave birth to you, raised you until what happened, and welcomes you back when we found you."

"Does he know?" Athena asked quietly, feeling Will put his hand on her shoulder from behind her.

Diana faltered, her eyes moist and glowing with emotion, unexpressed. Slowly, she shook her head, "No. No, I never told him. I only ever told Maggie."

"You keep doing this Diana," Athena cringed, rubbing her elbows with her hands. "You keep these important secrets, you lie. When it all comes out, you're sorry. And somehow, it's up to me to just forgive you. And then, once I do, I find  _another_ secret,  _another_  lie. Is this it? Huh? Is it all out in the open now?"

Diana went to answer her but Athena cut her off, "No, stop. You know what? I'm not ready to hear anything you have to say for yourself. I'm done today."

Leaving a gaping Diana behind her, she turned and walked up the stairs to her room, pulling Will in behind her.

* * *

Gretchen watched the room spin around her, the seedy little motel room having nothing to occupy her mind. Restless with boredom, she started pacing, speaking to herself. She had to find something, some way to get to her daughter. To reunite them. She could let her husband rot in jail for being stupid enough to let Athena apply for jobs before they had a real social security number for her to use. She couldn't lose her daughter – not again.

She stared at the mirror of her room for well over an hour, studying each and every photo chronicling Athena's day to day activities. Of her driving, leaving her house, getting home, having coffee with Brooke or Noah and Audrey, kissing that boy – Will Belmont. She had captured it all, wanting not to miss a single moment of her daughter's life until she got her back.

She smiled as she flipped through old family albums, of her little girl growing up. She loved her so much. She would do anything to make sure her daughter was safe. Even if it meant getting involved in a serial killer's game.

She slipped on her heavy duty sunglasses and beanie over her dark hair, like a walking criminal cliché. Making sure to lock the door behind her, she started driving her car to the Tyler house, staying at least four houses away, but definitely with a plain line of sight to the front door.

She would watch, camera out, and make sure her baby girl was safe. That's what a mother did.

* * *

"I can't believe I did that," Athena muttered out loud, stripping off her jacket and dumping it with her bag on the floor. "I wasn't planning on doing that."

"Hey, it's okay," Will rushed to assure her, turning her around so she was facing him. "You didn't say anything she didn't deserve. You deserve the truth."

"I'm just – I'm not ready for this," she told him. "I'm not ready for the whole world to shift around me and that's exactly what's going to happen if I keep digging into this whole Diana-Till-Miguel love triangle and if the killer tells the world who I am."

"Just breathe," he coached her, knowing she was going to work her way into some kind of panic attack if he didn't. Once her breathing was even, he spoke again, "No matter what, we survive, okay? Diana will survive too. Till, Miguel, whoever lies. They'll live. What I care about, is you. I won't let the world shift – unless it's in a good way."

She let herself blush under his wiggling eyebrows and smiled, "You certainly have a way with words, Pretty boy."

He grinned, "Just for you." He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I love you."

This was the second time he'd said those words, and just like the first time, they were interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. She avoided eye contact as she pulled out her phone, seeing Emma's name flashing on the screen. She felt a little bubble on irritation at the fact that both times Will said he loved her and they got interrupted, Emma was the interruption. Along the very breakable skin of that bubble, was insecurity because of Emma's history with Will. But she pushed it away carefully and answered, "Emma, what's up?"

"Are you with Will right now?" Emma asked quickly. "Kieran and I found something at Ms. Lang's house. Noah and Zoe are meeting us there."

"Where? Ms. Lang's house?" she asked, taking the phone away from her ear and putting it on speaker.

"Sorry, I'm getting ahead of myself," Emma apologized. "Apparently, Piper and Ms. Lang grew up together in the same orphanage – Blessed Sisters. We think Lang may be involved in this somehow, if they were friends. Noah said it was a group foster until ten years ago, but before that it was an insane asylum with a pretty bad reputation, abuse of children, something like that."

"Sounds like a lovely place," Athena droned. "I'm guessing it's abandoned and we're going to check it out."

"That's the plan," Emma answered. "There's one more thing you should know, Athena, about Blessed Sisters. Who else was there."

"Me? Who?" Athena asked.

"Your father – Alonzo Contos – was there too," Emma revealed.

Athena felt her face harden, keeping her tone even, "Text me the address. We're on our way."

* * *

"Is this a rave?" Athena asked rhetorically as she and Will pulled up to a raging party in the abandoned Blessed Sisters.

"Well, come on," Will tried to appease her as they got out of the car. "We both knew that they weren't going to make this easy."

"But I expected more of another creepy liar," she theorized. "Not an ill-advised party."

"Let's just go meet the others," he suggested, taking her hand. They walked until they caught sight of Emma, Kieran, Noah and Zoe hovering at the entrance.

Emma waved them over, "Can you believe this? Everyone here is wearing a Brandon James mask."

"Looks like a harmless act of teenage rebellion to me," Noah shrugged.

"Noah, when was the last time you heard of a party being held at Blessed Sisters Children's Home?" Zoe asked him.

He frowned, "Yeah, the timing is super weird."

Emma looked around the crowd, eventually flagging down a girl walking by, "Excuse me."

The girl was holding a red cup and saying slightly, obviously buzzed, and smiled widely, "Hey!"

"Do you know who's throwing this party?" Emma asked quickly.

The girl answered with excitement and slurring words, "Yeah, totally. It's such a cool idea. The "screw you" of it all. Face the fear. Take back the night. I never would've thought you guys would have it in you."

Emma frowned, "Me? You think that I'm throwing this party?"

The girl gestured with her cup between Emma and Athena, "Well, yeah, both of you. And Audrey Jensen."

"And you believe that we would do something like this?" Athena asked, stepping up next to Emma.

The girl grimaced, pulling out her phone and showing them the invite with all three of their names at the top.

Athena glared at the offending poster and took the cup out of the girl's hand, gulping down the two sips left of bitter alcohol. She handed the empty cup back to her and patted the girl's shoulder, "Have fun tonight."

The girl looked bewildered but she still took the hint and walked off. Athena turned around to face the others, grinning when she saw the other's shocked faces, "You guys aren't the only ones who know how to party. I need something to get me through all this madness."

"Okay," Emma easily accepted. "But all of this had to be the killer. He's trying to set us and Audrey up for something. That's why he sent that invite."

"And lo and behold, it worked," Athena said, gesturing to the mass crowd around them. Their bodies were jumping and thumping together to the techno beats and bass drops. "Speaks volumes for the common sense of teens in Lakewood."

Will walked over and put an arm lightly around her waist, "Let's just figure out what the killer is trying to do. We need to shut this thing down."

"I can call Sheriff Acosta," Kieran volunteered. "I'll tell him there's underage drinking." He gave Emma a kiss and walked off with his cell phone out.

"It's not really a party without the music, or the lights," Zoe commented.

Noah gave her a huge grin, "Zoe Vaughan, you are brilliant. We'll shut down the electricity."

"We just need to find the source," Zoe said.

Emma nodded along, urging them forward, "That's a great idea. Go. Figure it out."

The new couple ran off and Emma turned to Athena, about to say something, when her eyes caught something behind her. "Oh my god, it's Haley."

Athena turned around to see the dark haired girl by the DJ table. She glowered, pulling on Will's hand to lead him and Emma towards the girl. Emma greeted her coolly, "Hey."

Haley smiled, with a bit of smugness, "Emma! Wow, I'm surprised you showed. I figured Athena might come make a stink or something – but not you."

"Are you a part of this thing?" Emma demanded.

The smug smile stayed where it was, "You should know. It's your party."

Athena scoffed, "We both know that this has your trampy ass all over it and these idiots were just dumb enough to believe that Audrey would throw a party with us after today. Now, spill before I actually do beat your ass."

Haley frowned, put off, "Whatever. Calm down. It's just a joke."

"You play a lot of jokes," Athena growled. "Who's your buddy in all this? It's not just you, I know that."

This time she smirked, "A friend. A very special friend, who prefers to remain anonymous. And I protect my friends. Surely, you can respect that."

Emma gaped at her, "Haley, do you realize you might be protecting a killer right now?" The girl only laughed. "Who is your friend?"

"Stop being so paranoid! It's someone I'm seeing," with that, she walked off.

Emma immediately ran after her, calling her name. But Athena caught sight of someone who had been behind Haley and froze. Their hood was over their head, but she could see their face, plain as day. She felt Will lightly shake her arm and ask her, "Hey, Athena, what's wrong?"

"My mother," she told him, not taking her eyes of Gretchen. "The fuck is she doing here?"

Will followed her eyes and caught sight of the dark haired woman, "I don't know, do you think she had something to do with-"

"No," she responded automatically, knowing in her gut that her mother wasn't off killing people. She still didn't take her eyes off of Gretchen, who had locked eyes with her, as she spoke to Will, "Can you go after Emma? I need to get Gretchen out of here."

Will didn't want to by any means but he knew when her mind was set on something. He kissed her temple and ran after Emma who was still chasing after Haley.

Athena marched through the crowd, not bothering to utter out pitiful apologies when she bumped into people unceremoniously. She kept staring, right at her mother, until they were in front of her, "What the Hell are you doing here? Did you follow me?"

Gretchen sagged, "I had to. I have to keep you safe. Especially with this mad man running around."

"I don't need you to protect me," she hissed, casting glances around to make sure they weren't attracting unwanted attention. "I think I've managed just fine on my own so far. You were no where to be found when my friends were dying three months ago."

"I had to lay low," Gretchen insisted. "The police were after me, they still are."

"And yet you're here," Athena replied. "Kieran is calling the police on this party right now. If you don't want to get caught, you better go."

"You do care," her mother breathed, reaching up to cup her face, moist eyes. "No matter what, you and I will always be mother and daughter."

She hissed back, "I may not be close to Diana – and that's  _your_  fault – but she is my mother, not you."

Gretchen flinched, recoiling as if burned. Her face morphed with anguish, "I am your mother. She never wanted you."

"I don't care," Athena shrugged, so emotionally exhausted. "You're not my mother either."

"Yes, I am," Gretchen's voice hardened. "I risked everything coming to this town to protect you. I was told that you would need me now more than ever and I knew I just had to risk it."

Athena's eyes whipped up to her face, narrowed, "What? What do you mean, you were told? Told by who?"

Gretchen looked innocently befuddled, "Your friend from Portland, Dido. She knew you were having a tough time after the murders started. She knew my old email address. I checked it once is Spokane and was flooded with her messages, she's so worried about you. She loves you so much."

Athena shook her head, "That's impossible. Dido wouldn't do that. She knows how I feel about you."

"It had her name on it," Gretchen insisted.

"The killer has used other names before to hide," Athena said. "You know what? I don't care. You were lured here under false pretenses – I don't want you here. The police are coming. You need to go."

Just then, the lights and music all cut off, plunging the large room into darkness. Everyone screamed in fright and surprise around them. She felt Gretchen's arms wrap around her protectively and roughly yanked herself away, "Get the Hell out of here, Gretchen. I need to go find my friends and boyfriend."

She didn't give Gretchen a chance to respond or grab for her before she wandered off into the crowd to search for Will and Emma. She pulled out her phone to use the flashlight and saw that she had a pending text message. She clicked it open from 'Unknown' and balked when she saw it.

_'MISSING LOVER BOY? YOU SHOULD HAVE KEPT A BETTER EYE ON HIM.'_

The air left her lungs with a burning sensation left behind, the large text blurring in her eyes. She immediately starting rushing to the last area she'd left Will, calling out his name, "Will!? Will!"

She heard Kieran yelling, "Emma! Emma!"

She followed his voice and roughly bumped into him, both their phones out with the flashlights on, as were most other phones in the room. "Kieran! I can't find Will."

"I can't find Emma either," he said quickly.

"Will went with her to chase after Haley and I got this text from the killer," she flashed her phone's screen at him and watched his eyes go wide. "I think he did something to Will."

"Okay, okay, don't panic," he rushed to assure her. "I'm  _sure_  he's fine. We'll find him and Emma. I already called the Sheriff so they'll be here soon."

As if he'd said some kind of 'open sesame' command, real flashlights flooded in with the Sheriff and his cops demanding that everyone clear the area and go peacefully. Kieran and Athena rushed up to Sheriff Acosta, her speaking first, "Sheriff, something is really wrong. The killer is here – or was here – I don't know, but he did something to Will. I think Will is here hidden and—and hurt somewhere."

"Okay, okay, just breathe, tell me what you mean. What makes you think the killer is here and hurt Will – this is Will Belmont?" Sheriff Acosta lowered his gun and flashlight and looked at her just as the lights were turned back on.

She lifted her phone to show him the text, "I got this when the power was cut. I need to find him, now!"

"Okay, this is what I want you to do," he went deep int Sheriff mode, even though this was his hysterical secret daughter in front of him, "I want you and Kieran to go outside with my deputy and tell him anything we need to know. I will take a few of my men and personally search for Will, okay?"

Tears threatened to spill out of her eyes but Kieran's insistent hand on her back goaded her not to argue, to do as said. As she went to take her first step outside, nodding her agreement, hysterical screams ruptured through the crowd. At the mention of Haley's name, Athena and Kieran turned around to see what everyone was screaming about. Athena gasped, holding in her shriek when she saw that under the 'Face the Mask' banner, Haley, bloody and mangled, was hanging by her wrists. "Oh my god, it's Haley."

"Okay, okay, let's get you out of here," the Sheriff insisted, gesturing with his head for Kieran to lead her outside as he and the rest of the cops corralled the teen masses outside too.

Athena was nearly numb, waiting outside in the cold with Kieran before he was pulled away to answer some questions. She looked up when she heard Emma call her name and ran over to her and Audrey, "Emma. Audrey? Wait, where's Will?"

"Isn't he with you?" Emma asked, confused. "He left to find you a while ago."

This time, tears did escape from Athena's eyes. She rocked on her heels, lifted her hands above her head to interweave behind her skull, "Oh my god. No, he isn't with me. Last I saw him was when I sent him after you."

"Yeah, why did you do that?" Audrey asked.

"Because Gretchen showed up and I had to get rid of her," Athena quickly explained.

Emma gaped, "She was here? This night couldn't get more complicated. Audrey and I found Piper's dead body posed in a chair inside."

"Someone dug that psycho up?" Athena balked. "Oh my god."

"We need to talk to Haley," Emma insisted. "We need to find out who her special friend is."

Athena frowned deeply, "Emma... Haley is dead. Her body was strung up during the blackout. She was stabbed to death."

Emma gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, "Oh my god."

"The killer sent me this when Noah and Zoe cut the power," Athena swiped her phone's screen and showed them the text. "I need to find Will. I can't think about anything else until I see that he's okay."

Emma looked just as worried as she was about Will's well being at the moment, both turning to peer into the building, studying every body walking out to see if he was with them. Athena had a waking nightmare that one of the cops were going to wheel Will's dead body out in a stretcher, just as mutilated as Haley.

It hit her like a freight train, her true feelings for Will. She knew she couldn't lose him. She knew she cared about him – deeply. And now, waiting to see if she would lose him forever, she knew she loved him and she knew she had to tell him, the second she saw him. He had already told her twice, and she never had a chance to really think about her response.

When Sheriff Acosta walked out, she searched all around him to see if Will was with him. She saw nothing. She was ready to start screaming in grief when a couple deputies walked out, supporting a limping Will between them. She and Emma both gasped out, "Will!" but with her speed, Athena reached him first.

"Oh my god, Will! Will?" she stood in front of him and took one of the officer's places under his arm to lead him to the back on an ambulance Acosta had called in. An EMT took over and had him sit on the open back, checking his twisted ankle and head wound. "Are you okay?" Athena and Emma kept asking.

"I'm fine," he insisted, using one of his hands to grasp Athena's. "I promise. I was just knocked out."

"I thought you were dead," she whimpered.

The EMT instructed Will to look into his small flashlight, cutting off whatever he could have answered her. After bandaging the wound at the border of his hairline on his forehead, the EMT deemed him safe, "He's okay. He may have a small concussion so don't go to sleep for at least four hours. I'd suggest going to the hospital."

Will shook his head, "I'll be fine. I don't feel nauseous or disoriented or anything."

"I'll take care of him," Athena insisted, sitting herself by his side.

"I'm going to brief Sheriff Acosta on your condition, he may want to ask you a few questions," the EMT told them before walking off.

Athena sagged, checking Will's bandage with her fingers, "Are you sure you're feeling okay? I was – beyond terrified when the killer texted me. I thought he-"

"I'm fine," he told her again, pulling her hand away from his forehead. He kissed her cheek, "I promise."

"Um, we should leave you two alone," Audrey awkwardly shuffled her feet, tugging on Emma's arm.

Emma stood fast, "Are you sure you're okay, Will? I mean, if something happened to you-"

"I don't know how many times I have to say it," he snapped. "I'm fine. And no, I didn't see who attacked me. It was dark, they were covered up."

Emma recoiled a little, finally letting Audrey pull her away.

Athena said nothing, trying to unclench Will's fist with her finger, "Do you want me to call your parents for you? I'll drive you out there."

He stared at the ground, "I thought you were hurt too, when I woke up. I thought that was the reason he knocked me out. So, he could get to you while you were alone."

"He didn't," she assured him. "I'm fine. You are too. God, I was so scared."

"Me too," he whispered, letting his forehead fall on hers.

She couldn't hold it in any longer, whispering with ferocity, "I love you."

He opened his eyes, startled, but otherwise remained in the same position and simply answered, "I love you, too."


	13. Six Feet Under His Thumb

"Okay, tell me everything again," Aunt Abby asked from her apartment's kitchen island counter, elbows digging deep into the grooves of the ocean tile, a crease in her forehead.

"The killer is out there, targeting me and my friends," Athena explained slowly. "It's Piper Shaw's partner in crime, getting revenge on me for killing her. He threw this 'Take Back the Night' rave last night at Blessed Sisters – where both Piper and Alonzo apparently grew up. I didn't even realize his parents had been dead that long."

Abby nodded absentmindedly, "Yes, I think they died when he was five or six. But I was always under the impression that he grew up in Portland."

Athena shrugged, "Apparently not. Anyway, we go to the party and the killer is there. He knocked out Will and killed Haley and he's been threatening to tell the whole town who I really am – the kidnapping, my birth name, all of it."

Abby hummed, and then stated, "But none of this has anything to do with why you want to stay with me for the time being."

Athena sighed, "You were there. Diana lied to everyone about who my father is. She keeps lying about things I have a right to know. Like the fact that Gretchen grew up here, went to the same school as her. I just can't keep forgiving her just for another lie to come out. It's taxing."

"Sweetie, I understand," Abby cooed, reaching across the counter to hold her hand. "But Diana is your real mother – you know that is not a lie. She just got you back, it was going to take time for her to tell you everything, especially things she may find difficult to talk about."

"I know but not about this, she doesn't get to keep those kinds of things from me, things I have a right to know," Athena insisted. "I just can't be near her right now."

"All right, but there will be a few ground rules here, Missy," Abby switched the conversation playfully. "With everything going on, I need you to communicate with me. No adventures or games with a serial killer without contacting me or the police. And just let me know you're safe, periodically."

Athena smiled, "Of course," just as a horn honked outside. "That's Will, I gotta go to school," she stood up and grabbed her bag and gave her Aunt a kiss before leaving.

* * *

Maggie tried to remain clinical and professional as she stood over and examined the body of Piper Shaw, speaking into her tape recorder in an even tone, "Piper Shaw. White female. In her mid-twenties. Five foot nine. Approximately, 140 pounds. Initial cause of death, gunshot to the head, as stated in previous autopsy. There's decay present, but inconsistent with the time of death."

She shared a look of trepidation with Miguel in the corner before continuing, "Subject was removed from her grave and preserved through refrigeration. There's a, um... a fresh incision along the sternum," she stammered, feeling hot under her collar as she stared at the marred stitch job. "These are... these are new stitches."

"You don't have to do this," Miguel protested. "She's your daughter."

"Yes, I do," Maggie insisted. She picked up her scalpel and slowly sliced through the stitches, pulling the skin apart to peer inside. She saw a lump that didn't look like a normal human organ. "That's strange." She reached in with a gloved hand and pulled out a large waxy heart. "It's a heart. It's a pig's heart."

* * *

Emma was increasingly uncomfortable standing in Audrey's room. She kept looking around, seeing little differences everywhere. "I haven't been in your room in a while. It's changed."

Audrey sunk into the foot of her bed. "Yeah."

Emma sighed, wanting to run her hands through her hair, but she had put it up that morning, "After last night, I need answers about Piper. This is about us and it's about her, and you can't keep things from me anymore."

Audrey nodded dutifully, "I get it."

"Okay, uh..." Emma searched for the question to begin with.

"Think of this as your own personal Audrey Jensen AMA," Audrey prompted her. "Do your worst."

She did. "You knew that Piper was my half-sister the whole time that she was here in Lakewood?"

"Yeah."

"And last year, when... I started to think that the killer was probably my half-sibling... why didn't you say anything?" there was a tinge of hurt in her voice.

"I never, in a million years, thought she could be the killer," Audrey explained emphatically. "And she swore to me she wasn't."

"And knowing what you knew, that was good enough for you?" Emma shot at her.

"No, no, she and I..." Audrey sagged, "the night Rachel died, I was with Piper. We were up late at the Crescent Palms Motel, going over Brandon James stuff. If she didn't kill Rachel, how could she be the killer? And... and I thought she was my friend."

Emma licked her lips, crossing her arms, "Okay, so... you were with Piper."

"Yes."

"How do I know that you're not lying right now?" Emma accused.

Audrey scowled, "I would never use Rachel in a lie."

Emma shrugged carelessly, "I don't know that after everything you've done."

"You know me," Audrey insisted, standing up.

"No. I  _knew_  you," Emma emphasized. "We were best friends. And then, we drifted apart."

Audrey scoffed, "That's one way to say it."

"And then, you brought Piper here to get back at me," Emma continued.

Audrey shook her head, "No!"

"Even if you didn't know that she was a psycho, you were still trying to do that to hurt me."

Audrey kept shaking her head and protesting, "No! No, I wasn't!"

"Yes, you were!" Emma shouted. "Why else would you bring her here?"

Audrey frowned, "I wanted to make a documentary about Brandon James. This was not about you, Emma. It was about Lakewood and—and hypocrisy."

Emma stared at her, "And I was just collateral damage? Oh, my God." She paused and took a breath, looking as stern as she could in her emotional state, "Audrey, this is your last chance, okay? Tell me the truth. Stop lying, stop covering. We need to be on the same side right now, all of us, and I am definitely not on your side. And I don't think Athena is either."

Audrey shrunk in on herself, looking lost, "I don't know what else to say."

Emma took a sharp inhale through her nose, "Okay. This was a horrible idea." She stomped out of the room and slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Maggie wanted to ignore everything Miguel was saying to her in his office, but her mind raced as they argued. He was stern as he pulled her inside the room and began speaking, "There are a lot of possibilities here, but you have to see what I'm seeing."

She shook her head, "No, I don't."

"Who else would dig up the past like that?" he asked, hissing the words. "I'm not just talking about Piper's body. A pig heart? That's for us. About what we did. Who else would know about that?"

"Diana?" Maggie proposed. "She was part of it too."

"You know Diana isn't involved in any of this, not with Athena in the mix," Miguel's face grew hard.

Maggie was lost, "Piper apparently found out a lot. Maybe she told someone."

He frowned, "Or maybe the simplest answer is the right one. I know this is hard for you to hear, but Piper was his daughter, too. Maybe her death brought him out of the woodwork. Maybe he wants revenge."

"Brandon couldn't have survived all that... out there on his own," she protested. "Even if he did, he wouldn't do something like this. He wouldn't target Emma."

Miguel sighed, standing straighter, "You always saw him differently than the rest of the world did."

Maggie sighed, "That's because I knew him better."

* * *

Athena was walking through a nightmare, one it didn't seem she was going to ever wake up from. She thought it was weird when she and Will started walking toward the front doors from the parking lot and they were getting stares from all the students, whispering about her. It wasn't her and Will being together. The school had gotten over that a while ago, it was inevitable. But they were definitely fixated on her, looking shocked and as if they were trying to glean something from looking at her.

She asked Will what he thought was going on, but he was as clueless as her. And then Emma rushed out of the doors and grabbed her arms, gasping, with a crunched up piece of paper in her hand, "Don't go in there. You should just go home today, Athena."

"What?" she asked, confused by Emma's attitude.

Emma gaped like a fish out of water, searching for the words to say, when Athena noticed the paper in her hands. She looked at it and tugged it out curiously, "What is this?" She unfolded the paper and felt tunnel vision setting in, block spots, and blurring dizziness around her head. It was the same flier the killer has stuffed in her locker, her picture next to her baby picture and her real name plastered on it. He added a little paragraph about her at the bottom. Revealing everything about her kidnapping, the people who raised her, all of it. There were a few words around her picture – liar, unstable, murderer.

"Holy shit," she vaguely heard Will curse, ripping the paper away from her and shredding it up in her hands.

Without a word, she pushed passed Emma into the building and saw a sight that made her want to stop breathing. The same fliers were tapped up all over the schools, on the walls and lockers and drifting on the floor underneath the feet of her classmates, all staring at her and whispering.

She felt Will come behind her and put an arm around her shoulders, "Come on, let's just go. You don't have to deal with this."

A random guy came up to her. She vaguely recognized him from her homeroom class. He had a scared but smug face as he asked her, "So, is it true? You're Jules Tyler?"

She said nothing, lifting her hand into a fist and smacking it into his cheek without preamble. He lept back, but got the brunt of the impact and groaned in pain, "You stupid bitch."

He made a move for her but Will stepped up in front of her and shoved the guy back, "Back off, Brady! You're such a dick!"

"Your girlfriend is the psycho who punched me!" Brady shouted. "She really is unstable. No wonder she shot Piper without remorse."

"Piper was a serial killer!" Emma protested.

"This bitch is a killer too though!" he pointed at her accusingly.

Athena felt walls closing in, she could plainly see all the scared students staring at her and whispering about her. Her lungs on fire, she just wanted to escape. So, she turned on her heel and ran out the doors, quickly and quietly. Like she had before, she knew she could disappear. And at that moment, that's all she wanted to do. Disappear.

* * *

When Will turned around to check on Athena's reaction to everything, and he didn't see her, he felt like he'd gotten stabbed again. "Athena?" He ran out the doors, hearing Emma calling out her name as well from behind him. He looked all over the campus, but she had gone.

Will was ready to panic, "I have to find her."

"I'll go with you," Emma offered, following him to his car.

He turned on her, "No, no, it's okay. She can't feel too suffocated, it's better if I go alone. I'll call her Aunt to see if she's heading there. You just go to class, get her work for her or something. I'll text you when I find her."

"Will, I want to help," Emma protested.

"I know," he appeased. "I know you care about Athena too. But I really mean it when I say it's better that I go alone. I don't know what I'm gonna find when I find her."

"She'd never hurt you, Will," Emma murmured, pitifully.

"I know that," he insisted. "But I don't want to push her to do something stupid either. I gotta go. Just text me if you hear from her or something."

Emma sighed, seeing there was no way Will would budge as he got into his car, "Okay – just be careful."

"I will," he said before driving off.

* * *

Athena sat away from people, at the park, just staring at the children. She hadn't been back to Washington Park in a while – it held the beginning of Hell for her. But she felt she had to see it one last time. And she had to kill time for her Aunt to leave the house so she could sneak in a pack her things. She didn't know where she'd go, but maybe taking herself out of the Lakewood equation would make things easier for all those around her. The killer was targeting her and the people close to her to get to her. Maybe she'd just go off alone like any ol' dumb person in a slasher film and get killed off. Maybe it'd be better for Will and her friends in the long run.

In her head – she knew that wasn't true. But she wasn't in her head at the moment. She was in her gut, and it was gutted by the prospects of how bad life was going to change for her now that the whole school, and possibly the whole town, knew the truth about her and who she was.

She couldn't handle it.

She'd spent an hour there before she knew for sure that Abby would have left her apartment. So, she walked over, brisk pace and all in her panic addled brain, and let herself in. She quickly packed the little she had brought over. She could live without most of her things if it meant keeping those around her safe from the mess about to rain down on them because of her. She knew this paper trail was only a warning, of how serious this new killer was. He was dead set to get back at her for killing Piper. This was just to play with her until he got right to it – killing her.

She knew Will would be looking for her, to talk her out of wherever he thought her mind was going. So, she had to be quick. He was sure to start with Abby's place first. But hopefully putting it off for an hour bought her a run around, and he'd already checked there. She paused on her way out the door when she saw the picture of her and Will by her bed. It was one he'd taken of them at the carnival. After he had won her the bear and they were one their way to listen to Brooke's speech.

She loved him – she truly, truly did. But it wasn't enough. Or maybe it was enough to get her to leave him behind. So, he could be safe and normal and not wait to be attacked by a serial killer bent on revenge. Again, in her head, she knew this was illogical malarkey. But she was outside herself and not interested in thinking illogical.

But she still grabbed the photo and shoved it into her bag. She then pulled out her toiletries bag from the bathroom and checked to see it had all her emergency cash inside of it. She figured she had enough for a bus ride out of town. Maybe she'd go to Sam's for a bit to lay low before going somewhere completely random.

"What are you doing?" she jumped when she heard her Aunt's voice behind her.

She whirled around, "What are you doing home?"

Abby crossed her arms sternly in front of her, "You're the one who should be in school, but you're here with your bag packed. And I don't think it's because you've suddenly made up with Diana."

Athena thought she'd either burst into tears or violently lash out, but she did neither. She took a steadying breath and prepared to explain to her Aunt that she was leaving, never coming back, and to not bother trying to stop her. But she didn't get the chance. Her phone rang, and it was Will – again. He had called and texted her non stop. She figured she should at least let him know she was okay before she made her great escape and dumped her phone somewhere. So, she answered, "Will – I'm sorry, but-"

" _Lover boy can't come to the phone right now,_ " the electronic voice from Hell answered her instead of Will.

Her face went to steel and ice erupted in her veins as she hissed into the receiver, "What the fuck have you done with Will?"

"What's going on?" Abby asked, concerned when she saw the change in Athena.

" _I see you didn't like my little display today at the school,_ " the voice changed the topic. " _I worked really hard on that. But, it did serve a purpose. It got you to leave Wonder-boy's side for once._ "

"Fucking answer me," Athena cursed. "Where is Will?"

" _Well, he's been so overworked lately dealing with your problems, I decided to give him a resting place,_ " the voice answered her. " _It's up to you to find him. You've saved him before, right? Should be able to do it again. If he doesn't run out of air._ "

She heard a ding on her phone and pulled it away to see that he had text messaged her a link; 'Click Me.' She tapped on the blue letters and a live video feed opened up on her phone. It was Will, looking disoriented and tired, blinking slowly and looking around himself. He was inside a small, dark space. And she put it together – Will was buried alive, and she had to find him.

"Where is he?" she stressed into the phone.

" _Now, that wouldn't be any fun if I told you, would it?_ " he mocked her. " _By the way... don't tell anyone about this little conversation. Or I may just have to have little Lana join him. Wouldn't want that, would you?_ " There was a click and then the call was dead.

"What was that about, Athena?" Abby asked, sternly.

"He took Will and buried him alive somewhere for me to find," she answered, numbly staring at her screen.

Will was opening his eyes and looking up and around him, "Hello?... What the Hell is going on? Is anyone there!? Hello! Help me! Athena!"

She flinched when she heard him wail her name like that and put her phone away, "I have to find him."

"We have to call the police," Abby tried to urge her.

But she shook her head vehemently, "No, absolutely not. He said no cops – so no cops." She dumped her bag on the floor and went through it, pulling out her taser and knife. She stuffed the knife in her boot and the taser in her pocket and grabbed her car keys. "I'm doing this my way."

"Well, you're not doing it alone," Abby insisted. "My car's faster."

* * *

Emma was at her locker, reading a text from Will telling her that he'd found Athena and she was fine when she heard Audrey call her name and saw the girl walking toward her. She rolled her eyes and started walking away, but Audrey caught up to her, "No, Emma, wait! Noah wasn't in class today, and—and he hasn't been answering any of my calls. I'm really starting to freak out."

Emma frowned, "I haven't seen him. Have you talked to him at all?"

"No, that's the thing," Audrey said, holding her phone out. "I know that he was annoyed with me yesterday about the Zoe thing, but..."

Just then her phone vibrated at the same time that Emma's rang. Audrey pulled out her phone and clicked a link, Noah's face popping up. He looked tired and disoriented. Audrey gasped, "Oh my god."

"He's got Noah," Emma said. "Wait. Can you tell where he is?" She finally pulled out her phone and answered the Unknown caller.

" _How are two of my favorite final girls?_ "

"If you hurt Noah, I will come for you," Audrey threatened.

" _Any more threats, and I light his coffin on fire and let you watch him burn._ "

"Where is he?" Emma whimpered.

" _You're gonna go on a little treasure hunt. If you tell anyone... cops, friends, strangers in a school hallway... Noah dies._ "

"This is about us," Emma scowled. "It isn't about Noah. Why are you doing this?"

" _Because it's more fun this way, don't you think? Don't worry – I'm not just punishing you. Athena has her own prize to find, too._ "

"What does that mean?" Emma gasped, thinking the worst.

" _If you follow my clues, maybe you can save Noah's life. He has... oh, about five hours of air left. Clock's ticking._ "

* * *

"Think, Athena, where would he put Will?" Abby goaded her niece as they jumped into her car. "It can't be random, it has to be a place important to you."

"I don't know," Athena cried. "The bowling alley, maybe? That's where I first saved Will's life, that's where he made me choose between Sam and Elena as punishment."

"It's a start," Abby turned on her ignition and started driving for the abandoned bowling alley.

Athena shifted in the passenger's seat, watching the live feed of Will on her phone. He was trying to remain calm and stared straight into the camera. "I don't know who's watching this... if anyone is. But if you're seeing this, Athena, I love you. And this is not your fault."

Tears fell out of her eyes as she sobbed, because she knew – she knew it was. She had to find him before it was too late. Or else she'd never be able to live with herself.

* * *

Audrey and Emma sat in her car, watching Noah freaking out in his trap. Audrey flinched, "What are the clues? What is he talking about?"

"We have to call Sheriff Acosta," Emma argued. "He could keep it quiet."

Audrey glared, "No, okay? No, absolutely not! We do that and Noah's dead."

"How is this psycho gonna know if we call him?" Emma asked.

Audrey shrugged, "Maybe he hacked our phones. I don't know. He seemed to know we were together when he called."

"Audrey, we can not do this."

"No, absolutely not, okay?" Audrey yelled. "We can't risk it! You don't get it. This is how he works. I tried to cheat him before and he made me pay. He killed a hotel clerk just to prove a point! He will one hundred percent kill Noah if we cross him. The only chance we have is to play his game."

Emma sighed, "Okay. Where do we start?"

Emma's phone vibrated and she checked her text.

 _WHAT IS BEHIND NOAH'S OBSESSION?_   _HE THOUGHT HE HAD ALL THE ANSWERS._   _CAN YOU FIND OUT WHERE HE WENT WRONG?_

"Where he went wrong?" Audrey asked. "How do we figure that out?"

"He thought he had all the answers," Emma quoted. "Okay, maybe he was getting too close?"

"How are we supposed to know what he's thinking?" Audrey snapped.

"We know where his answers are," Emma pointed out. "His murderboard."

* * *

"You were worth it, Athena," Will was saying, crushing her heart with every heart felt word from him. "Everything. Being with you made everything worth it. Don't you dare blame yourself for this. Don't you dare run away, okay?" He breathed deeply through his nose, trying to remain calm. "I know you're gonna find me, but just in case, I want my last words to be about you – to you. I love you so much. I was hoping you'd go to school near Duke. We could move out there together, get a place. Life would be perfect."

"He can't have much time left," Athena whimpered. "What if he's not at the bowling alley?"

"Where else could he be?" Abby asked, keeping her eyes on the road.

Athena wracked her brain, "He's getting back at me for killing Piper. That's where all his animosity comes from. I took the person he cared about, so he's taking the person I care about."

"You killed Piper on the lake, right?" Abby asked, looking for her next exit if she was going to head toward the dock.

"Yes, but that can't be it," she answered. "That's too connected to Emma and Brandon James. This is all for me, and Will. The, the killer said – I saved him once and should be able to do it again. He's going to try and make Will's death my fault like he-" she broke off with sudden realization.

"Like he what?" Abby asked, shrilly.

"Like he tried to do with Emma when I saved Will's life, when I ruined Piper's plans to cut him in half and make it Emma's fault," Athena explained. "The farm, that barn, that's where he is. Take this road, right here!"

Abby swerved slightly and make the road and stepped on the pedal, "You're sure?"

"Absolutely."

* * *

Audrey was ransacking Noah's room as Emma stared at the cluttered murderboard on the wall, "What's behind Noah's obsession?"

"I don't know!" Audrey snapped. "Insomnia and too much caffeine?"

"Are we really gonna find Noah this way? I mean, we are clearly missing something!" Emma said, exasperated. "Maybe it's a riddle," she then suggested. "What is Noah's obsession? The murderboard. The board. What's behind..." she trailed off as the pieced clicked. "Oh, my god. It's literal. What is behind the board?"

She and Audrey rushed to the wall and pulled the murderboard away from the wall. Emma reached behind it until her hand collided with a plastic bag, pulling it out to reveal a Ziploc bag with a daffodil inside it.

Audrey took it from her, "Wow. This really is about us."

"What do you mean?" Emma asked her. "It's a daffodil."

Audrey gave her a look, "Yeah. Don't you remember? I think I know where to go."

* * *

Emma pressed her foot on the pedal faster as her phone rang. Audrey said, "Don't answer."

Emma sighed, "I know. I've already ignored three of Kieran's calls."

"Good. Radio silence. It's safer this way," Audrey stated.

"Are you sure the old stables is where we're supposed to go?" Emma asked.

Audrey nodded, "Yeah. Those daffodils grew all around the old barn. They made a big point of telling us they were poisonous to the horses."

"No, I remember that, but how would the killer know that?" Emma said. "How would he know that a daffodil would send us there? Flowers grow a lot of places."

"You said it yourself. This is about us," Audrey explained. "And that's where we first met. I'm sure that this is it."

"But what is he trying to do? Why is he sending us there?"

"Whoever's doing this is screwing with us,"Audrey scowled. "Sending us to a place we used to love, trying to ruin it... It's important to them because it's important to us. When my mom got sick, it was the only place where I felt okay, the only place I could forget what was going on."

"Yeah. We used to go to the stables even after they shut them down," Emma remembered. "Play outside. Pretend to be elves traveling across Middle Earth. We were so close back then. Basically family. Then, a couple years later, you tried to destroy us. What did I do to make you hate me so much?"

"Like I said, it wasn't about you guys," Audrey answered.

Emma huffed and pulled out the copy of one of Audrey's letters to Piper, throwing it at her. "I already read it. It really cleared up some things."

Audrey cringed when she saw the hateful letter, "Emma, this isn't..."

"Just don't," she snapped. She pulled the car over once they arrived and jumped out. "It still doesn't add up. How does the killer know about our childhood? How would he know about some random flowers?"

"They're not random," Audrey said. "You just have to trust me. We're in the right spot."

"How can I?" Emma whirled on her. "Noah's life is in danger, maybe Will too, and you're still keeping me in the dark."

Audrey sagged, "They must have been working with Piper from the very beginning. It's the only thing that makes sense."

"What?"

"Piper and I came here a couple times," she admitted. "I brought her here. I told her everything about us."

"Why?" Emma cried.

"She wanted to know about you. She was your sister," Audrey excused.

Emma scoffed.

"I know what this sounds like, Emma, but I think I was just looking for a friend," Audrey stressed. "I didn't know she was using me. I didn't realize. I never realized it until the last moment and, by then, it was too late."

Emma scowled and started walking away, "We have to go."

"This psycho is doing this on purpose," Audrey went after her. "He showed you that letter to tear us apart!"

"Yeah, you're still the one who wrote it," Emma pointed out. They stopped when they got to the stable doors and saw an ax stuck in the handles.

"That's not ominous," Audrey deadpanned.

"Okay, let's do this," Emma stepped forward and pulled the ax out. "You ready?"

Audrey nodded and pulled the doors open. Both girls instantly coughed and covered their mouths and noses with their elbows. Audrey blanched, "What is that?"

Emma gasped when she saw the cut up pig in the middle of the dirt ground, "Oh my god. It's a pig. I've had nightmares about that. That's—that's not possible."

"We have to find Noah," Audrey said, looking around. "Look for... look for signs of digging. Look for fresh dirt."

* * *

"We're almost there," Athena sighed out in relief. She needed to get to Will as soon as possible. He was getting tired, becoming more delirious.

"I see you," he was murmuring, looking off to the side. "Why are you in here with me? You're going to save me."

"Will, please stay awake," she wiped under her eyes, begging him to stay alive for her.

"I wish you were really with me," he whispered. "I want to tell you to your face, that I love you, one last time..."

"Dammit, stay with me," she begged. "I'm almost there."

Abby was pressing the pedal to the floor by now, not caring about traffic laws or the like. Until a large SUV on the opposite traffic lane swerved in front of them. She swerved to miss them, careening her car into a tree.

Athena gasped in pain as her body lurched forward, dropping her phone to the floor of the car. She heard her Aunt's frantic voice asking if she was okay and nodded, "Can you start the car? Will must not have much time left."

Abby tried to start the car, but smoke started coming from the front of it. "We need to call the police."

"No, that other car must have been him, he'll know," Athena said, abandoning her phone and getting out of the car. She looked around the street, but didn't see the car. He must have driven off. "The farm isn't far. I'm running for it."

"What?" Abby asked behind her, but she ignored her, sprinting down the road towards Will's farmhouse.

"Wait, Athena!" Abby shouted after her.

But she just kept running, she had to make it to Will. She had to save him. She couldn't lose him.

* * *

"Did you find anything?" Emma asked when Audrey came back in the stables from looking outside.

"No, there's nothing out there," she shook her head. "He's gotta be inside."

"I already looked in here," Emma replied, exasperated. "There's nothing in here."

"Look again!" Audrey snapped, growing frantic.

"Do not put this on me!" Emma shouted.

Audrey looked at her, "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

Emma shook her head, "I didn't do this! You brought this down on all of us! You brought Piper here! And why? What did I do to you?"

Audrey glared at her, "I was pissed, okay? I was pissed! You had your new friends and you abandoned me."

"You wanted nothing to do with them!" Emma yelled.

"Whatever!"

"No, not whatever!" Emma denied. "Why did you hate me? What did I do to you?"

"You really want to know right now?" Audrey asked her, frustrated.

Emma nodded, "Yes, I really want to know. Why did you hate me?"

"You broke my heart!" Audrey shouted, earning silence. "I loved you, okay? And you broke my heart. And the worst part is, you didn't even know you were doing it."

Emma was shocked at her admission. She was right. She had had no idea she had hurt Audrey that much. She had no idea of the depth of her feelings.

In the wake of silence, they heard faint singing, a nursery rhyme or something. Audrey listened, "Did you hear that?" Emma slowly nodded as they realized who it was. Audrey yelped, "Noah!"

The singing stopped and then they heard Noah cry out, "Help..."

Emma gasped when she realized he'd been under the pig the whole time. She and Audrey dragged it away and grabbed shovels, digging as fast as humanly possible. "Noah, we're almost in!"

They stopped when their shovels hit wood and tossed them aside. They heard him groan, "Help!"

Audrey grabbed her shovel back and stuck in the planks of wood, "Noah, we're almost there! Hang on!" She used all her strength the pry the wood apart until it gave way. She and Emma ripped the coffin open to see the dirty, tired, but alive Noah.

He coughed as Audrey helped him sit up, "Oh, my God. Are you real?"

She smiled, "Yeah, buddy, we're real. Come on."

She and Emma coaxed him out of the coffin as he stared around dubiously, "I... I thought I was dead!"

"So did we, Foster," Audrey sagged in relief.

"I wasn't alone," he revealed. "I heard Zoe."

Just then they all heard Zoe scream, "Somebody help me!"

Emma gasped, "She's down there still," and rushed to the coffin. She, Audrey, and Noah lifted the coffin out of the pit in the dirt just to reveal a small metal box underneath it. She picked it up and opened it, seeing a screen with Zoe's face, in her own coffin. She was tilting her head up over water and screaming for help, desperately.

"I'm sinking! God, please help me! Oh, my God. Help! Please! Somebody help me!"

"Zoe's buried alive, too," Emma gaped in shock.

"Please, somebody help me!"

"There's water," Noah pointed out in a weak voice, "She must be at Wren Lake somewhere. That's where I was attacked, too. Wren Lake."

Emma gave Audrey a look, "This has all been about you and me and Piper – and Athena, but he gave her her own hunt."

"She has to be at the dock," Audrey guessed.

Emma nodded, "Yes, come on. It's not far. Let's go." The teens all raced to her car to go to the Lake and save Zoe, hopefully.

* * *

Her lungs were burning, but she couldn't stop running. While she was gasping for air and pushing herself harder, she could only think that Will was running out of air. Athena could almost hear a Hallelujah chorus when she saw the barn in sight. She saw Will's dad's truck just pulling up and shouted desperately, "Mr. Belmont! Carl!"

The older man, grumpy in the face, turned to look at her and his face immediately dropped. Will's mother, Adaline, stepped out of the truck as well and looked extremely scared when she saw the state of Athena, "Athena? What is it? Is it Will?"

Athena didn't break her stride as she raced passed them to the spot Piper had tried to kill Will before, "Grab shovels! The killer buried him here, alive, for me to find. Hurry!"

The parents instantly gasped but did as told, running after her. Carl grabbed two shovels as he stopped behind her. She was searching for the exact spot Will was set up in to die last time. The killer was being poetic now, it had to be right there. She grabbed a shovel and estimated, digging where there was fresh looking dirt. "Help me! Will! Stay with me. I'm almost there, I promise!"

Carl began digging frantically with her while Adaline cried behind them, "Will, honey, hold on!"

Athena could have cried when her shovel hit wood. She stepped back as Carl pried his shovel into the opening and roughly stepped on the handle of his shovel, ripping the coffin open. She fell to her knees to pull the lid away and saw Will, but his eyes were closed. Tears flooded her eyes, "No, no, no, no, no, Will, you can't die. Not like this. Not because of me." She reached in and pulled him out by his arms, laying him on the ground next to the pit and softly slapped his face, "Will! Come on, wake up!"

"Oh, my God, no!" Adaline cried behind her.

"Will?" Carl asked, bending down on the other side.

Athena interlaced her hands and pressed them into his chest, leaning down with all her strength and body weight, counting out loud through gasping breaths. Then she halted and titled his chin up, opening his mouth so she could lean down and breath for him – twice. She had to do this nearly seven times before he finally gasped for air. She cried in relief, "Will!"

Carl instantly wrapped his arms around his son and held him close, "We thought you were a goner, again. Stop doing this to us."

Will was still breathing heavily, staring at Athena, "I think you only call me Will when I'm in mortal danger."

Athena laughed, but it was wheezing, as she stood up, never taking her eyes off of his, "Those times don't really call for a sarcastic nick name."

Will laughed too, still looking at her as his parents helped him stand and fawned all over him. He mouthed the words, 'I love you.'

She started to do the same but her mouth fell slack. Tunnel vision set in around her eyes and an uncomfortable heat raced up her spine. She vaguely heard sirens, Abby must have called the police after she ran off. She only saw Will's face drop to worry before she fell backwards and the darkness set in.

* * *

Noah raced after Audrey and Emma as they found Zoe's coffin suspended by the dock by a rope, slowly filling with water from the lake. He stared at the screen, watching her scream for help. "She's still alive! Hurry!"

Emma and Audrey both pulled on the rope, lifting the coffin onto the ground and out of the water with all the strength they had left. Audrey called out, "Hang on, Zoe! We got you!"

"Hey, Zoe, can you hear us?" Emma asked as they pried the coffin open. "Zoe!"

All three teens gasped when they opened the coffin and revealed Zoe's pale form, eyes open, dead. Noah shook his head, "No..." and frantically looked at his screen again, seeing her still screaming for help.

"Please! Help me! Somebody help!"

"No..." Noah muttered.

"Oh, my God," Emma cried.

* * *

Athena still heard sirens when she started coming to. She felt something in her hand and looked around, seeing she was on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance, her Aunt holding her hand. For a brief moment, she thought she was in there just after the accident, and she dreamt up saving Will. Pain and panic seized her heart, "Will! Will, where is he?"

Her Aunt and the EMT soothed her. Her Aunt brushed back her hair, "Calm down, sweetie. Will is alive and safe, in his own ambulance right now. You fainted after you saved him."

"It's most likely just overexertion," the EMT pitched in. "But they'll be able to check you out quickly for anything else."

"Then I can go to Will?" she asked, pitifully.

"Sure thing, miss."

* * *

As soon as Athena was looked over and discharged, she had her Aunt take her to Will's room. She just wanted to die when she saw him in the hospital bed, tube in his nose, being doted on by his mother while his father stood at his side. When his eyes met hers, he looked instantly more alive and relieved, "Athena – you're okay."

Adaline turned and instantly enveloped the girl in a head, "Thank you so much for saving our boy."

"Again," Will quipped from his bed.

Adaline ushered her over to Will's bed side. He looked worried up at her, "What happened to you? You had me going when you just fell like that."

She shrugged it off, "It's nothing, I'm fine. I was just tired. Abby and I were driving to the farm, but... but another car ran us off the road and we crashed into a tree. The car wouldn't start again, and we were running out of time. So, I just started running."

"You took off in a dead sprint from a car accident?" Carl asked her dubiously from Will's other side.

"Are you okay?" Adaline started fussing over her.

Athena nodded, "I'm fine. Doctors checked me over and all that. I'm fine."

"Let's just not do anything like this again," Abby smirked from closer to the door.

"Agreed," Adaline chuckled.

Athena was just staring at Will, tears building in her eyes again and streaming down her face. She tried to hide her state, choking back sobs. But Will heard, and looked at her with a welling of his own emotion. He gave his parents a look and his mother took the hint, tugging the others out to give them some privacy.

Once alone, he pulled her closer to his side, "What's wrong? I'm fine. You saved me, again."

She shook her head, "I'm the reason you were in danger this time. He wasn't getting to Emma, he was punishing me. He wanted me to lose you in the same spot I saved you before. He wanted to take you away from me like I took Piper away from him."

"But you didn't, he didn't succeed," he insisted. "Where did you run off to after what happened at the school?"

She hesitated, knowing her answer wouldn't make her sound any better, "I was... I was running away. I had my bag packed, was gonna take a bus to Mills and then another to a random city. Disappear."

Will's face hardened briefly, "Why would you do that?"

"I wasn't thinking, okay?" she cried, wiping her eyes. "I just... after him exposing me like that... I knew it was a warning. That he was serious. That his revenge was nearly over with. Why else would he play the rest of the cards he has on me? I knew my being here put you and everyone else I love, in danger. So I thought, if I took myself out of the equation, maybe he'd leave you alone."

"That's ridiculous," Will cursed. "Do you realize that he could have gotten to you instead while you were out there alone?"

"Let's be real, Will," Athena chided. "We all know that if we don't catch this bastard, this whole thing is going to end with me dead. He's not going to let me live. I'm not the center of his game like Emma. I'm the bitch who ruins his games. He's going to kill me for that."

Will pulled her closer, cupping her face, "I won't let that happen."

"I don't think you will, but I don't know if anyone can stop it," Athena whispered. "I'm so sorry – for everything being with me has put you through."

"Did you see me through that camera he had set up?" he asked her suddenly.

She looked at him confused, "Yeah, he sent a live feed to my phone."

"Then you probably heard me say that it has all be worth it," he told her. "You are worth everything. Even almost dying again. Don't you ever forget that – I love you."

She whimpered, "I love you too," and brushed her lips to his. He used the momentum of her bending over him to pull her onto the bed. He set her up in his side and started brushing his fingers through her hair.

"You're not going anywhere, you hear me?" he said to her. "Not skipping town. Not breaking things off between us. None of that. This guy isn't going to win like that. I'm not letting you go that easily."

She hummed, laying her head on his chest and closing her eyes, feeling only slightly better, but still wondering what the killer's next move would be. She still had a feeling, she wouldn't make it out alive.


	14. Dangerous

__

_CUTTING IT CLOSE YESTERDAY, WEREN'T YOU? NEXT TIME, YOU'LL BE THE ONE ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK. YOUR FRIENDS WILL BE TOO LATE TO SAVE YOU._

Athena stared at the message from her bed back at the Tyler house. She knew exactly what he was warning her of. He was going to kill her, somehow. She knew it'd be painful, and torturous. She just wanted it to be over with. She had gotten a call from Emma. He had broken into her house and left behind a wooden heart with her name carved into it. He was getting closer to the end.

She walked downstairs and could hear Brooke's dad's voice. He was holding a press conference, " _Sheriff Acosta and I are doing everything possible to make sure that we apprehend the person responsible for these heinous crimes. We did not deserve Piper Shaw, and we do not deserve these new horrors._ "

Diana and Till were sitting close on the couch, watching. The sight made her sick. Till still didn't know that she wasn't his daughter. And she didn't know how to – or if she should – tell him. It would destroy his and Diana's marriage. But didn't people deserve the truth for once? It should be Diana to tell him.

"Turn it off," she muttered, glaring at the television.

Diana whirled around and instantly stood up to embrace Athena, "Honey, you're awake." The woman frowned when Athena very obviously stepped back to avoid her embrace. "You should be resting."

"I'm going to the hospital to see Noah, we all are," Athena told her. She walked away and grabbed her keys from the bowl. She stopped at the door when she heard Till's voice.

"Honey, we're just worried about you."

She heard the real concern in his voice and it made her want to collapse into a fit. He shouldn't care so much for her. She wasn't his. But he didn't know that. He loved her, cared for her, like she was his daughter. But that would change once he knew the truth.

"I know," she sighed. "But I'm good. See you later." With that said, she let herself out of the house.

* * *

"Nice balloons," Athena commented with Will at her side as they met up with Emma, Kieran and Brooke in the hospital hallway.

"And coffee," Emma smiled, lifting up the tray of coffee she got for Noah and Audrey.

"Emma, he was stabbed," Will told her gently. "He can't drink that."

Emma frowned, "Of course."

"It's the thought that counts," Brooke took her arm. "Let's go."

The teens walked into the room, seeing Noah on the bed with Audrey at his side. "Hey," Athena greeted them, walking in hand in hand with Will. "How are you feeling?"

He didn't answer.

"I got you a coffee," Emma broke the silence, handing off a cup to Audrey before, embarrassingly, putting the other one on the table, now knowing Noah couldn't drink it.

"We downloaded a bunch of movies to watch," Brooke chimed in. "All your creepy faves."

Kieran smiled, listing them off, "Psycho, Night of the Living Dead, It Follows."

"I don't want to watch any of that," he said. "Zoe said it. I turn death into a puzzle I can solve instead of dealing with my feelings. I missed out on so much... obsessing on slasher logic, playing detective. I'm done with all of that."

"Done?" Athena repeated. "Done with what?"

He looked up at her numbly, "I'm done with my murder obsession and everything that goes with it. I'm shutting down The Morgue."

"We can't give up, Noah," Emma tried to encourage him.

"Why not? He wins every game," he muttered, hopeless.

"No, he doesn't," Will interjected, putting his arm around Athena's waist. "We've proved that before."

"I told my mom you guys would go over and take down the murderboard and pack up everything that goes with it," Noah ignored him. "I don't want to see any of that stuff ever again."

Everyone shared worried looks around him. Emma put her hand on his shoulder, "Yeah. Of course, Noah. Whatever you need."

* * *

Gretchen Contos wasn't going to let her daughter out of her sight anymore. Each time she did, the psycho killer in town got his hands on her somehow. Never again. She ditched her Buick for another stolen car from Montana and followed her daughter and her friends from the hospital to a house. She sat outside, patiently, keeping her eyes on all windows and doors in sight. She wasn't going to let anything happen to her baby girl. To her Nana.

* * *

"I don't know how we're gonna decipher this without Noah," Audrey muttered, rummaging through Noah's desk. Emma went through boxes while Will helped Kieran take down the murderboard and Athena picked off photos and newspaper clippings to put into folders and boxes.

Emma caught sight of the photo of Piper and looked at Audrey, "Audrey, is there anything that you haven't told me about Piper?"

Audrey looked at her, emphatically shaking her head, "No, no, no. I promise, you know the whole horrible, embarrassing story."

Emma nodded and kept looking through her box. She paused when she found a clipping from Elena's funeral. She saw Athena in the fore front, looking utterly destroyed. Emma was standing next to her, holding her hand. Sam and Ian were standing behind them. But she noticed someone else in the back of everyone, and peered closely. It was... Eli, Kieran's cousin. "Guys? Hey, come here. Look at this."

Athena felt her pulse jump when she saw the headline, "It's Elena's funeral."

"No, look in the background," Emma told her, pointing to a head of a person.

"Oh, my God, that's Eli," Audrey realized, recognizing him.

"What was he doing in Lakewood?" Will asked.

Emma looked at Kieran, "Did you know this?"

"No," he shook his head, looking confused.

"What was he doing at Elena's funeral?" Athena asked.

* * *

Gretchen followed the teens closely as they left Noah's. The girl with the short hair left separately, heading toward the hospital. But her daughter and the others were heading toward her house. But they went inside the Duval house, with boxes of things. She lifted her camera and took a photo of Will helping Athena with a large box, inside the house.

* * *

"This is all getting ridiculous," Athena commented as they piled the boxes into Emma's dining room. "I know Eli is a creep, but is he really capable of all of this?"

"Athena, who knows how long he's been here," Emma pointed out. "He could very possibly have been Piper's accomplice, this whole time."

"It just doesn't make sense, the way the killer has been talking to me," Athena sighed. "I just got the feeling that he was closer than that."

"Eli tried getting closer," Kieran growled, looking between her and Emma. "He just failed."

"I know you're right," Athena admitted, taking a seat at the table. "It just feels surreal to be this close, to have a face and name behind the mask now. Without some showdown at a lake."

"You might still get your showdown," Kieran warned her. "But let's try to avoid that and just be thankful that we got somewhere."

"Guys," they heard Audrey's voice. The girl walked in and held out her phone, "The killer texted me this. It had to be about you, Emma. He said you didn't like his gift."

She held out the phone and Emma read out the rest of the message, "'She's good at cutting people off. She better watch out. I cut deeper.' Wha-what's he saying?"

"How have you cut anyone off?" Audrey asked her urgently.

Emma gaped, "Oh, my god. Oh, my God, this could be Eli. He sent me a bunch of texts after what happened at the carnival. I didn't respond because I had no idea what to say."

"Could he think you're maybe cutting him off?" Kieran suggested.

"His plan to get close to you definitely got cut off," Athena theorized.

Kieran's growing glare deepened as he started walking away, "I gotta take care of this."

Emma went after him, tugging on his arm, "Hey, Kieran! Kieran, stop!"

"I have to confront him, Emma. This has to stop," he told her.

"No, seriously, she's right! Don't go!" Audrey protested.

"I'm gonna bash his head in," Kieran growled.

"I get that," Athena told him, "but this is a bad idea."

"They're right," Will said.

"If Eli is the one who's actually behind all this and you go and confront him, who knows what he's gonna do?" Emma added. "Okay? Please. For me, don't do it."

Kieran slowly simmered down, "Okay. No, you're right. So, what are we gonna do?"

* * *

Sheriff Acosta forced himself to be patient, questioning Ms Lang in a hospital bed, "I know you're having a hard time remembering things, but our investigation into the incident at the Children's Home revealed that you and Piper Shaw were residents. Is that right?"

Ms. Lang frowned, "Oh. Well, yes, I was at Blessed Sisters for a very short while."

"But you and Piper were close?"

She shook her head, "No. I barely knew her. Piper was a lot younger than me."

"Well, how long were you both in the home?" he asked.

She thought on it, "Three or four months, if that."

"You were kids under the same roof," he stressed, looking for something he could use. "I'm sure you played together."

She replied patiently, "A lot of kids passed through that place, Sheriff. If Piper and I ever did anything together, I don't remember it. And, honestly, the fact that I have any connection to her is not something I'm eager to admit to this town."

"Or to the other students that you taped without permission?" he accused.

She frowned, straightening up and defending herself, "I'm doing an informal case study on the survivors of last year's attacks. If they knew I had any link to Piper, they never would've talked to me."

"Well, in your research... is there anyone that you felt had an unhealthy obsession with Piper?" he asked. "Anyone at all?"

She smiled, knowing where he was going, "Your son is very talented, Sheriff, with a unique perspective."

"Is that a nice way of saying disturbing?" he asked her.

"Maybe," she allowed. "But you know what it stems from, don't you? He's trying to understand you."

Miguel scoffed, "He's trying to understand me?"

"His early fascination with death started when he snuck into one of your files," she explained. "He saw a crime scene photo, a dead gang member shot in the head. Stavo said it was the first time he was really struck with the reality of what you live with day in and day out."

"Well, he didn't say anything to me..."

"Stavo doesn't talk about it. He draws it," she told him. "But, if you really want to know who had the largest obsession with Piper... I would have to say it's Emma Duval. She was already dealing with hallucinations, fits of rage, violent, recurring nightmares. There's no telling how this new round of violence could be impacting her."

Miguel nodded, making his leave, but she wasn't finished.

"There's one more thing you should know," she said. "There was someone else who lived at Blessed Sisters. Alonzo Contos. He was older than both me and Piper, and he was there much longer. He had a way of controlling the other kids, mentoring them. He had a very heavy influence on the younger ones."

"What does this have to do with what's happening now? He's behind bars," Miguel answered her.

"He raised Athena as his daughter, Sheriff," she replied. "Now, she never agreed to come in and have a session with me, so I can only speculate. But Alonzo could influence anyone around him in a short amount of time, I can only imagine what sort of impact fourteen years with Athena could have had on her and her psyche. If Piper had an accomplice, was a mentor to someone else, they had to be susceptible to her."

"What are you saying, Ms. Lang?" Miguel asked.

Ms. Lang sighed, "Alonzo could have mentored Piper, after they met at Blessed Sisters. And the two of them had ample time and opportunity to get to Athena. Who knows what's really going on with her? Especially with these new murders."

"Athena shot Piper, she was not her accomplice," Miguel argued. "It's impossible."

"Maybe she had nothing to do with the murders last year," Ms. Lang shrugged. "But it's very possible that killing Piper Shaw snapped something within her, or triggered something Alonzo buried in her mind. She has shown violent tendencies and proven she's very knowledgeable with weapons and hand to hand combat. She is dangerous, Sheriff."

* * *

"Because, Zoe Vaughn... you were special... especially to me, especially... special," Noah trailed off in his recording. "This is especially horrible."

"Yeah, it is," Stavo chimed in front the doorway.

Noah looked over, "What are you doing here?"

Stavo walked around him, sitting on a chair beside his bed, "Heard you were screwed up."

"I guess I didn't think of you as the hospital visit type," Noah commented.

Stavo shrugged, "Don't be mad. I didn't bring flowers. What are you working on?"

Noah tossed his ear phones on his keyboard, "Just a farewell podcast. The culmination of my life's work that needs to be perfect because it's also a eulogy for one of the most amazing women that's ever lived. She was amazing."

"But you cannot end The Morgue, you dumb ass," Stavo protested.

Noah gave him a look, "Empathy is tough for you, huh?"

Stavo didn't comment on that, "Your podcast does something for people, me included."

"Thanks, but I'm done," Noah replied stubbornly.

"Noah..." Stavo sighed, "the death rate is one per person. Nobody gets out of this alive. Someone needs to talk about that." As Noah let his words sink in, he pulled out his phone, "Now, I'm sending you something better than some crappy 'get well' balloons. Check your email."

Noah did so as Stavo got up and walked off without another word. His mouth fell open when he opened the file and saw his life, in comic drawings. Stavo made him a hero. Was that really what he did?

Maybe Stavo had a point.

* * *

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" Athena asked with trepidation, looking around Kieran's neighborhood. Will held her hand, sitting next to her in the back seat while Emma and Audrey sat up front, waiting to hear from Kieran as he snooped in his own house.

"We need evidence for the police," Emma insisted. Her phone rang, signaling a video call from Kieran. She swiped her finger to answer, "Did you find anything?"

He whispered, "I'm just getting here," and waved the phone around so they could see what he saw and possibly found. He looked through the desk, even lifted up the mattress, and found nothing.

Athena got distracted, noticing a car across the street from them. She could have sworn she saw that same car at her and Emma's neighborhood. But it didn't seem like anyone was sitting inside.

She got sucked back into conversation when she heard Emma saw, "Oh, my God. That's... Piper Shaw."

She stuck her head in the middle to see Kieran was showing Emma a stack of letters addressed to Piper Shaw. Audrey sucked in a breath, "Yeah. Those are my letters to Piper."

Kieran took the letters and snuck back out of the house, meeting them by the car as they piled out. He handed the stack of letters to Audrey, "Check it out. He was using these to mess with you?"

"To enslave me," she admitted.

"You realize that if Eli had these letters... then he's the killer. No doubt," Emma pointed out.

"We should probably turn these over to the police," Audrey nodded.

Emma grabbed for the letters, "No, no, Audrey, you can't do that. Those are gonna incriminate you. We need to find more evidence against Eli." Her hands felt something plastic under the letters and she pulled out a bunch of zip lock bags with photos inside them. "What are these?"

"These aren't mine," Audrey told them.

"Those look like pictures of you, Emma," Athena peered at them.

"They are," she answered. "These are just like the pictures that I saw at the farm. These might even be the same ones."

"Could Eli be the guy you saw out there?" Will asked, feeling the strain of anger and paranoia settle over him.

Emma looked at him, scared, "Yeah, maybe. Maybe he's using the pig farm as a hideout. Who knows how long he's been in Lakewood?"

"We need to stay ahead of him then," Athena said, taking the pictures from her and replacing them with the bound letters. She handed them off to Kieran, "You need to put these back, exactly where you found him. Where is Eli? Still in the house?"

"Yeah, he's in the backyard with his mom," Kieran answered, confused. "Why would I put these back?"

"She's right," Emma said. "If he finds out they're missing, there's no telling what he'll do, okay?"

"We can't piss him off or let him know we're onto him," Audrey supported.

Kieran nodded, walking off, "I'll see you at your house."

"Okay," Emma called after him, before looking at the others. "You know, there's probably more evidence at the pig farm."

While she was saying this, Athena had let herself peek over at the other car across the street. She saw a figure in the front seat, that looked familiar. She felt Emma grab her arm, "Athena, we're going to the pig farm while Eli is still in the house. We gotta hurry."

"Go without me," she told them quickly.

"What? Why?" Audrey asked, pulling the passenger's door open.

"That car has been following me all day," she gestured vaguely with her head. "I think it's Gretchen. You guys need a head start without her screwing this up. Go without me, but keep your phone on and update me, okay?"

"Okay, be careful," Emma hugged her.

"You too," she said as Emma got into the car and drove off.

Athena looked at Will, "I'm guessing you're with me?"

"Do you have to ask?" he teased. "I told you I'm not leaving your side, or letting you out of my sight."

"Unfortunately, I think that's where Gretchen's head is at too," she quipped, looking around the neighborhood before crossing the street and standing in front of Gretchen's door. "You can't take a hint, can you?"

Gretchen kept her sunglasses and hat on, "I'm just watching out for you darling. Get in the car, I can take you somewhere safe."

"I'm not running away, and I'm not going anywhere with you," Athena hissed.

"I know how to disappear, and that's what you need to do before you get hurt," Gretchen insisted.

"You know how to kidnap three year olds," Athena shot at her. "I'm not going to be a coward, I'm going to fight like hell to take this bastard down and protect my friends. Now, this is your last chance. Because next time I see you around, I'm calling the Sheriff, and turning you in."

"I doubt that," Gretchen chuckled. "I'm your mother."

"You used to be," Athena admitted solemnly. "But my mother is dead."

She straightened up and grabbed Will's hand, pulling him away to walk back to her house. They still had to find out some way to meet Emma and Audrey at the pig farm.

* * *

"And one last thank you to my loyal listeners for your condolences," Noah spoke into his little mic. "Life is short. It is random. I've seen Final Destination. Death is coming for us all and it can't be cheated. It's up to us to enjoy every moment we're lucky enough to have, with the people we're lucky enough to love." He slowly stroked the reel of photo booth photos of him and Zoe. She was so beautiful. "You know, tonight was going to be my final broadcast... but Zoe loved this show, just like you guys. She wouldn't have let me shut it down, or give up. So, tonight's not the end, my friends. Instead, tonight, we remember that it's okay to be afraid. The only ones who aren't afraid are the monsters. Somebody whispered that to me in a dream once, and reminded me that, no matter how many nightmares Freddy sends us, we, the living, have to wake up and rise up against the monsters. I'm dedicating this installment of The Morgue and everyone that follows to Zoe Vaughn. Every time I press upload, I'll be thinking of you. Rest in peace." He took a breath and clicked end record. "Okay, Zoe, let's see if you're listening."

He pressed upload to post the installment to his website and watched the green loading bar get close to 59% before something warped in his computer. He frowned as he heard a distorted laughing sound, "What the Heck? What is this?" He started clicking back and on any random key to try and stop whatever was happening, "No, no, stop, stop, stop." He panicked, closing his lap top with a slight bang.

He breathed in and spoke to himself, "Oh, okay. So, somebody remotely hacked your laptop and uploaded a mystery file. It's probably nothing. Just a superfan continuing the narrative." He sighed and opened his laptop again, "It's just a superfan. It's just a superfan..."

The file uploaded and a video was on his website now. Scared, he clicked on it and opened up a documentary style video.

He heard Audrey's voice and saw footage of her messing with Jake's body, " _I brought Piper to Lakewood. I would do anything to keep it secret._ " He saw Zoe in her coffin, surrounded by water, " _Help me! Please! Somebody help!_ "

" _I stabbed all of my friends_ ," it sounded like Emma's voice, over footage of her in a hotel room, " _... all of my friends. I look down and my hands are covered in blood._ " The camera panned over to the bath rub with Eddie's mutilated corpse inside.

" _It all closes in on you, and then you can't get out. I trusted her._ "

There was some random footage of Emma and Audrey together at school. And it shifted to Athena, savagely kicking and beating the shit out of the sandbag at the school gym, looking lethal

" _But me – I wasn't a victim, I was the one who hurt someone that night._ "

"Oh god," Noah whispered.

* * *

Miguel felt like his lunch could revisit him as he saw his daughter's face on the disturbing video in the Sheriff's department.

" _Piper turned me into a killer... exactly what I'm capable of, I'm a murderer._ " He saw photos of her as a baby with the label; Jules Tyler, then newspaper clippings about her kidnapping and pictures from her in the present with labels like liar, unstable, killer.

Then there was footage from the lock down, Athena grabbing Haley's arms and flipping her over her shoulder, laying her foot on the inside of her arm and bending over her. Audio played over the clip in her voice, " _...the last person who threatened me or my friends, ended up with a bullet in her brain._ "

"This is playing from that Noah kids' podcast?" he asked.

His deputy answered, "Yes, sir. It started streaming in a repeating loop. People have been calling us about it."

Next was footage of Audrey with Jake's dead body after showing Jake hanging upside down and getting sliced open with a cry in pain. " _He was like me. He was alone, rejected, and angry._ "

" _No matter where I ran, they followed me_ ," Emma's voice returned. " _Their voices... friends taunting me..._ "

"Get this down to digital forensics," Miguel ordered. "We need to confirm the IP address of who posted this."

Over footage of Athena completely decking a guy in the school hallway, her hissing voice could be heard, " _I will find you...and – I'll kill you too._ "

"Athena..." he whispered wistfully, wanting to be there for his daughter, and his son. But he couldn't.

"Miguel!"

He quickly closed down the video before Maggie go to him, "Kieran Wilcox just called me. Emma and Audrey are on their way to the James farm."

"The pig farm? Did Kieran say why?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No, and Emma won't answer my calls."

"Stevens, let's move," he ordered. He stopped briefly to look at Maggie, "Did he mention Athena?"

Maggie shook her head, "No, but no one can get through to her either. Her phone was broken yesterday when she and her Aunt Abigail were run off the road."

"Try her boyfriend, she might know why Emma and Audrey went out there," he said, walking off.

* * *

"We have to find a way to the farm without Gretchen following us," Athena said as they walked into her house. She cast a glance around and figured no one was home. "We have to help Audrey and Emma."

"I parked my truck around the corner," Will said. "We can go out the back and walk to my truck without her seeing."

Athena agreed and they quickly raced through her backyard and hopped the fence onto the other street. They walked around and got into his truck, raving towards the pig farm.

* * *

Emma and Audrey had found a secret room in the farm house, with her stolen dream journal on the desk. They were making their way out when they saw the Mayor's car and the man himself sneak into the barn. "Wait. We have to find out what he's doing here." Emma led Audrey over to the barn, "It is so weird. I've had nightmares about this place since I was a little kid."

"Ready?" Audrey asked.

"Yeah," Emma said, pulling the door open. The girls gasped when they saw Mayor Maddox standing there, impaled by a pitchfork. Emma rushed towards him as he pulled it out of his chest, blood seeping from the wounds, "Oh, my god! Mr. Maddox!"

The man fell to the ground as Emma and Audrey rushed to him and put their hands on his wound to keep pressure on it and help him. They stopped still when they heard a noise at the back of the barn. Audrey grabbed her nine iron and Emma grabbed the pitchfork. They slowly made their way toward the back of the barn before they heard sirens.

The Sheriff and his deputies rushed inside, causing the girls to turn around. He held his gun out and commanded, "Drop the weapons! Hands up!"

* * *

Athena didn't understand what was happening when she and Will arrived to the pig farm to see cop cars everywhere. She got out to see Audrey behind shoved into the back of one, cuffed. Emma was being arrested too. "Emma? What the Hell is going on?"

Emma gasped when she saw them, "Athena, Will, he killed the Mayor. They think we did it. We didn't."

Athena turned on the Sheriff, "This is absolutely ridiculous, you realize that? There is no way they had anything to do with the Mayor's death."

"We found them with the murder weapon over his dead body," he told her. "We have to take them in."

"You're playing right into his hands," she hissed.

Miguel glared at her, "While we're already arguing over it, why don't you tell me where you've been and why you're here? The truth, for once. I'm tired of the lies, Athena."

She scoffed harshly, "You want to compare lies and secrets? Dad?"

His face completely dropped, as did Maggie's from behind him. He gaped at her, completely thrown, "How—how did you..."

"How did I know?" she finished for him rhetorically. "Stavo told me. Now, let's skip the awkward family bonding and cut right to the whole 'you're doing exactly what a serial killer wants you to do.'"

"My hands are tied," he muttered pitifully.

She just glared at him, pulling Will towards his truck. She paused near Emma and Audrey, "We'll see you at the station. We'll fix this, I promise."

Emma nodded just as Kieran drove up and instantly yelled out her name. They called to each other before Emma was put into the car and Kieran was pushed back by the Sheriff. Athena and Will jumped into his car and took off driving after the cop car pulled back onto the road.

"You realize that if they think Emma and Audrey killed the mayor..." Will trailed off.

"Then they think that they killed everyone else," Athena finished grimly.


	15. The Big Finale

"I can not believe he turned everything around like this," Athena muttered as they followed the cop car holding Audrey and Emma.

"I can't believe you told the Sheriff you know he's your father," Will quipped. "Nice timing."

"He pissed me off," she excused. "We need to just end this. But he's got the whole police force going around in circles."

"It'll be fine," he promised, putting his hand on her thigh.

Athena squinted slightly when headlights behind them caught her eye in the side mirror. She cast a look behind them and groaned, "Gretchen is following us. God Dammit!"

"Seriously?" Will asked, checking his rear-view mirror.

Athena just looked forward to see the cop car swerving to miss a figure in the road and screamed, "Will, look out!"

He slammed on his breaks and just barely slammed into the back of the cop car, but felt another thump from Gretchen's stolen car hitting them from behind. The couple jostled around in the car and groaned. But Athena's pulse spiked when she heard Emma and Audrey scream. "Emma? Audrey?" she yelled, Will and her getting out of the car and rushing towards them to see the figure in the mask running off. She didn't bother going after him into the dark woods alone, instead checking on Emma and Audrey.

"He left the keys to the handcuffs," Emma said, gesturing with her head to the keys on the seat next to Audrey.

Will grabbed them and uncuffed Audrey, then Emma. Gretchen ran over to the teens, checking Athena over, "Darling, are you all right?"

"You're still following us," Athena hissed at her. "You're impossible."

"Guys, we gotta get out of here," Audrey insisted. "This looks bad and he's still out there."

Athena's head titled with an idea, "Gretchen, take them."

Everyone looked at her and said, almost simultaneously, "What?"

Athena looked at Emma and Audrey, "She's a fugitive, she knows how to hide from the law." She turned to Gretchen, And I won't call the cops on you if you help my friends. Will and I will tell the Sheriff what really happened here and we'll be your contacts on the inside."

"Okay, I'll do it," Gretchen agreed, pulling out her burner phone and handing it to Will. "Put your number into this and I will have Emma or myself update you on our locations."

"Is this really a good idea?" Emma shrieked.

"It's the only idea," Athena told her, taking her hands. "I promise I wouldn't even suggest this if I didn't trust her enough to at least keep those I care about safe. Just until we catch this son of a bitch."

Emma let out a breath and slowly nodded, "Okay, okay. Let's go."

Gretchen pulled the girls out into the woods and ran after giving Athena a kiss on the cheek. Athena called out after them, "If anything happens to them on your watch, you'll have to watch out for me, Gretchen!"

"Okay, what do we do now?" Will asked.

Athena took in the wreckage, "You still have that go-pro on your dash right? Did it record tonight?"

Will's eyes widened, "Yes," and he ran for his car, pulling out the camera and checking it. "It's on, no damage from the wreck."

"Okay," Athena breathed. She grabbed the cop's gun from the street and stood up. "Delete the footage from after we got out of the car to check on them. We can't let the cops see that Gretchen is involved or which direction they went. But at least this will prove that Emma and Audrey didn't have anything to do with these murders."

"Okay," Will nodded.

* * *

"It's called 'folie a deux' or 'the madness of two,'" Lang explained to the Sheriff. "It's a psychological syndrome, in which one deranged person transmits a delusion to another, creating a shared psychosis that's stronger than one could've developed alone. The second person can help push the first over the edge, and that can result in a psychotic break."

Miguel studied her, "So, you really think Emma and Audrey could be suffering from this madness of two?"

"My first guess would have been Emma and Athena," Lang admitted. "But seeing the news and the videos they posted online, it suddenly all made sense. Athena may just be a pawn or a victim, or even the bad guy in their eyes since she killed Piper and stopped the murders last year. I believe they can't move past their trauma, so they just keep replaying it. They may not even be aware of what they're doing."

* * *

Will and Athena were just pulling up to her house to see cop cars swarming the place. They had to take a long way around town to get back because of all the cops around the accident and searching the town. She cursed when she saw the Sheriff walking into Emma's house. She grabbed the gun from the glove compartment and made sure the safety was on, sticking into the back of her jeans.

"Okay," she looked over at her boyfriend, "we can't just walk in there, we need to-" She was cut off by the ringing of Will's phone.

"Emma?" Will asked into his receiver. "Okay, you're going where?"

Athena took the phone, "Emma, are you safe?"

"Yes," Emma sighed. "We just left Kieran's. We're going to the theater, it's closed right now. We can lay low there and think of a plan. The killer called and said that if we turn ourselves in or get caught, he's gonna kill someone we care about."

"On our way now, sit tight," Athena kept it short and hung up. "Okay, I'm going to head to the theater, you need to give that footage to the Sheriff."

"I do not think splitting up is a good idea," Will warned her.

She sighed, "I know. But it's all we've got. They're gonna need fire power, that I have. And we still need to do something to clear the charges against them."

Will huffed, "I don't like this."

"I know," she agreed, bringing her face close to his. "But I can protect myself, and right now, someone needs to protect our friends. You can meet me there."

He slowly accepted this, nodding. He bent over to kiss her, bruising his lips against hers, before pulling back, "I love you."

"I love you too," she easily replied, getting out of the car and walking down to hers, getting in and taking off.

* * *

" _Local teenagers Emma Duval and Audrey Jensen,_ " Noah gaped at his small TV, " _... are wanted for questioning in the conjunction with the Mayor's murd-_ "

He caught sight of Brooke walking into his room and shut the TV off, "Brooke. Your dad... I'm so sorry."

"Yeah," the blonde sighed, sitting on the side of his bed. "It's just been so much, you know? I know I don't have to tell you that. He wasn't always the best dad, but he was... there, you know? This morning, I... I went into the kitchen, to get some juice, and I just realized... I mean, he always made me juice," she laughed at the absurdity of the things she missed now. "I'm just really gonna miss him."

Noah nodded.

"And now, Emma and Audrey..." she trailed off.

"You know it's not them, right?" Noah checked.

"Of course," she replied instantly.

He took her hand, "Look... we're in this together." Just then his phone rang, and Unknown number, and he answered, confused, "Uh, hello?"

Emma's voice answered, " _Hey, Noah, it's me._ "

Noah straightened up, "Emma! You guys are about to hit 'Ten Most Wanted' territory if you don't watch out. What—what happened?"

" _It was terrible,_ " she sighed. " _Hey, look, have you... have you talked to Brooke?_ "

Noah gave the blonde a look, "Uh, she's right here."

Brooke took the phone and stepped away from the bed, clearing her throat, "Hey."

" _Hey_ ," Emma greeted sadly. " _I... I'm so sorry about your dad. Brooke, you have to believe us. We didn't... we didn't do what they're saying we did. By the time we got there, it was too late._ "

"I know you didn't kill him, Emma," Brooke answered her. "You couldn't. Where are you guys?"

" _We're at the movie theater._ "

"We'll be right there," Brooke said.

" _No. Hey, no!_ " Emma immediately protested. " _Stay where you are, okay? Stay where you are, and... and we'll call you back when we have a plan._ "

Brooke slowly lowered the phone after she hung up and looked at Noah, "They're at the theater. They want us to stay here."

Noah balked, "And let them go through all this alone?"

Brooke looked determined, "Hell no."

Noah grunted as he ripped the wires off of him and got up, "Okay, let's go."

* * *

Athena pulled into the alley near the theater and ran over, catching sight of the side door slightly ajar. She walked in, seeing Emma and Audrey pacing in the concessions room. She rushed over to hug them, "Thank God, you're okay. Where did Gretchen go?"

"She decided to use herself as bait," Audrey replied, seeming impressed. "She switched clothes with me and cut off her hair with a knife and said she was heading to my house to start a false trail."

"Wow," Athena commented.

"Where's Will?" Emma asked.

"He had a go-pro in his car, got the whole crash, including the real killer," Athena told them. "He's giving it to the police to exonerate you guys."

"That's useful," Audrey commented.

Then Noah, Kieran and Brooke walked in. Brooke immediately embraced Emma while Noah hugged Audrey. Brooke eyed Emma and Audrey distastefully, "Oh, God. You look terrible. Let's get you cleaned up."

The girls walked into the back room of the theater. Audrey gave Brooke a sad look and hugged her, "Hey. We're gonna get through this... together."

Brooke's phone rang – Unknown number. She answered, "What do you want?"

The distorted voice answered smugly, " _Aw, if it isn't daddy's little girl._ "

Emma took the phone away and hissed into it, "I'm the one you should be talking to, you bastard."

" _So, the gang's all there. What's the occasion? Another funeral?_ " he asked.

"Wow, you think you're really funny, don't you?" Emma scoffed. "You're a coward, running around in the dark, hiding behind a mask."

" _Careful, Emma,_ " he warned. " _You don't want to see my face._ "

"I'm at the movie theater. If you want me, come and get me." And she hung up.

"Emma!" Audrey admonished. "Are you sure that was a good idea?"

"He must have already known we were here," Athena spoke up. "He's smart."

"I'm done running," Emma said, leading them back out into the concessions room.

Audrey went to the display case of weapons and opened up the back to start handing things out. Noah commented, "You know half of those are fake, right?"

"Yeah, well, the other half are real," she answered, handing a hook knife to Brooke. She grabbed a sturdy hammer for herself. And then handed an ax to Noah.

He got excited for half a second before he touched the ax and felt it bend, it was plastic, "Oh, what?" He tossed it away and went to look for his own weapon, grabbing a kitchen cleaver from the bottom of the case.

"We need to guard the doors and stay in touch," Emma said.

Noah volunteered his phone to her, "Here, take my phone."

"Thanks," she paused. "You guys know that you don't have to stay, right? This is on me."

Everyone shared determined looks. Kieran spoke, "We're with you."

"Yup," Athena cheered, checking the magazine in her gun. "Locked and loaded. Okay, why don't Noah and Brooke take the front doors. Audrey and Emma take the back. Kieran, you got tenth auditorium, I'll get fifth."

Kieran nodded, "Okay, sounds good. Let's go."

* * *

"So..." Noah sighed, standing at the front doors with Brooke, "here we are."

She hummed sarcastically, "Here we are."

"All of us holed up together in one room... trying to trap the killer... I mean," he rambled, "I think this is it. I think this is the big finale."

Brooke groaned, "Noah, please don't go all meta on me right now. I need you guarding this door with me."

"I'm just saying," he shrugged, "if this were a movie, we'd be at the unmasking stage."

She smirked at him, "Well, if it's you, I will defend myself with this little hook thing."

"You know it's not me," he guffawed. "Of course, that's what the killer would say." He laughed after pulling his resting creep face and sobered up, "Okay, I'm sorry. It's—it's not me. It's really not me."

* * *

Audrey peaked out of the back door, "Nothing. What if he doesn't show? He likes to pull the strings, not dangle from them."

"He's gonna show," Emma said.

* * *

Athena waltzed through the rows of her auditorium, keeping an ear out for anything at all. She wished she had a phone. Something she could call Will with. See that he was okay. That she didn't make a huge, colossal mistake splitting up from him. That she didn't give the killer yet another opportunity to get to him and get back at her.

But somehow, she felt that that phase of the killer's plan was over. That he was moving on. Onto his plan to just kill her.

* * *

"Okay, if—if Piper had an accomplice, maybe that accomplice found another accomplice," Noah kept rambling on. "Maybe there are two killers again, working together. That really opens up the possibilities, if you think about it."

"Noah, that's not comforting," Brooke droned.

"I'm just saying," he excused, "I think we should just be prepared for anything."

There was a loud banging at his door, covered in posters, and he screamed. The figure behind walked over to Brooke's door and they could clearly see it was Gustavo. He squinted at them, "Are you just gonna stare at me, or are you gonna let me in?" He gave Brooke another look, "And why do you have a hook?"

"What are you doing here?" she ignored his questions, holding out her hook.

He gave her an incredulous look, "Seriously? You asked me to come."

"Wait, you did?" Noah looked over at her.

She shook her head, "No, I did not."

"Really?" Stavo took out his phone and laid it on the glass. "Then what the hell is this?"

She read the message, clearly somehow from her, telling him to come to the theater to meet her. "I-I didn't send that." She looked at Noah, "I did not send that text."

"Will you just let me in?" Stavo asked.

"Don't let him in!" Noah decided.

He glared at the nerd, "Dude, what!?"

Noah was shaking, "We're trying to lure the killer and you show up. I'm sorry. This is a pretty classic 'don't let him in' situation, right?"

"Are you buying this?" Stavo asked Brooke. "Look, is Athena in there with you? Is she okay?"

"Why do you care about Athena?" Brooke asked him in a shaky voice.

"Because she's his half-sister," Noah leaned over and muttered to her.

Brooke's eyes widened comically as she took another step away from Stavo and the door. He glared at her, "Fine," slamming his fist into the door and storming off.

* * *

Athena kept her gun out and poised as she walked through the auditorium. She jumped when she heard screaming, and raced to the next large auditorium, where Kieran was supposed to be guarding. She raced over into the room, meeting up with Emma, Kieran, Noah and Brooke. "What the hell is that?"

"Who put this on?" Emma gasped, seeing Zoe's face, screaming for help.

"You guys, this isn't a movie, this is real," Noah realized.

"He filmed all his murders," Athena flinched when she saw Elena's face, screaming for mercy.

Emma looked up, "It's coming from the projection room. There must be somebody up there. How did they get in?"

"Where's Audrey?" Kieran asked her.

"She's in the back. She's guarding the door," she said.

Kieran looked worried, "She shouldn't be alone, not if he's in here with us. You wait here, together. I'm gonna get Audrey," he ran off.

Brooke flinched and turned around, covering her ears, when Jake came onto the screen, "I can't even... just something make it stop."

"Help me!" Jake wailed, before he was gutted.

"Okay, I'm gonna turn it off," Athena volunteered. "You guys stay here."

"I'll go with you," Emma walked with her. "No one should be alone."

The girls walked out of the auditorium and took the stairs to the projection room. Athena kept her gun up, but didn't see anyone. Emma pulled the lever down and shut off the projection machine. They then heard screaming, and Noah's voice yell, "No, no! Brooke! Brooke!"

"Brooke," Emma breathed, racing away into the auditorium.

Athena felt her blood boil when she saw the killer standing over Brooke with a knife and pointed her gun, shooting without a thought. She missed, but barely, and the killer took off. "Call the police, now!" she told them, racing off after him.

"Athena, wait!" Noah called out, but it fell on deaf ears.

She walked through the hall behind the screen, gun out. She passed the black curtain on the other side, when the killer popped out behind her and slide a knife into her back. She gasped in pain but he covered her mouth and then injected something into her neck, and everything went black.

* * *

Emma whimpered over Brooke, "Stay with us, okay? You're gonna be okay."

Kieran ran in, instantly taking over putting pressure on Brooke's wounds, "Did you call an ambulance?"

Noah gulped, "It's on it's way."

Kieran looked between them and the door, looking at Emma, "The police are on their way, too. You have to go."

Emma glared, "I am not leaving Brooke." Sirens blared closer to them. "Did you find Audrey?"

He shook his head, "No. She's not in the back room."

Emma balked, "Where did she go?"

"I don't know. The door was open. Maybe she left already. Emma, you need to leave," Kieran stressed.

They heard banging on the door as the sirens were louder. "Sheriff's Department! Open up! It's the police!"

"We have to let them in," Noah stated, getting up and running out to open the front doors.

"Emma, go. Go now," Kieran urged.

Emma's face crumpled, she didn't want to run away again.

Brooke muttered up at her, "It's okay, Emma. Go."

She held up her car keys and Emma took them, "I'm gonna see you later," before racing off.

Noah raced in with the police and Will next to him. Will looked around, worriedly, "Where's Athena? She was coming here."

"She was here, she went after the killer," Noah said. "She isn't back yet?" he looked at Kieran.

Kieran shrugged, "I haven't seen her since I left to look for Audrey."

Emma was running through the back hall toward the back door, but stopped when she saw blood on the floor, and Athena's gun. "Oh, my god! Athena!"

* * *

Emma pulled Brooke's car over to the side of the road in a remote neighborhood and called Kieran from Noah's phone. She felt only slight relief when his voice answered, "Emma. We're at the hospital."

"Hey," she sniffed. "How's she doing?"

"They're saying it's critical. She's gone into surgery."

Emma cried, "Oh, my God."

"Have you heard from Audrey?"

"No, I haven't heard anything. And he took Athena."

"What?" he was shocked.

"I found blood and her gun," Emma was shaking. "I really screwed up, Kieran. I never should've told him where we were."

"We couldn't have known it would go down like that."

"Yeah, I-I just didn't think," she cried. "I didn't think and I put everybody in danger." Her voice broke, "And now Brooke, Audrey and Athena... I don't know what to do anymore. I mean... should I turn myself into the police? I don't know. He told me that he would kill somebody if I do that."

"Listen, it's not your fault. None of it, okay? Just hold on."

"Okay," she cleared her throat. "Okay."

* * *

Noah and Will were standing worried in a waiting room when a red eyed Stavo walked over to him, choked up, "I heard Brooke's hurt. Is she okay?"

Will sat down in a lump on a chair away from them, his mind elsewhere, tears burning his eyes. He couldn't bear to think of what was happening to Athena at that moment. He loved her. He couldn't lose her.

"Brooke's a survivor," Noah was telling Stavo. "She's tough. Uh, last year, she was trapped in a freezer and stabbed, so... this surgery's gonna be a cakewalk."

Stavo caught Will's state, "What's wrong with him?"

"The bastard took Athena!" Will spat, losing control of his emotions.

"What?" Stavo crumpled. "Where is she?"

"We don't know," Noah muttered. "But Athena's a fighter. She's a bad ass. I'd say this guy has met his maker with her. We'll find her."

"I should've stayed, gotten in somehow," Stavo collapsed into a chair, crying into his hands.

The Sheriff was walking by with a doctor, and saw the state of his son. When Stavo pulled his face up and saw his father, he just kept crying. Miguel softened and sat next to his son. Stavo whimpered, "He stabbed Brooke. And he took Athena."

"Brooke will pull through," Miguel told him, laying a hand on his knee. "And we'll find Athena. We'll find your sister."

Stavo only had time to give his father a look of shock before Noah intervened, "Um, you know, maybe this isn't the best time, but..."

Miguel hardened, standing up and away from the others, "But what?"

"It's not Emma and Audrey. There's no way..." Noah began.

"I'm not gonna comment on a case, but if you know where they are, tell me now," he demanded. "Because, off the record, there's a lot of evidence."

"Yeah, see, that's the thing. There's too much evidence," Noah said. "But you already knew that."

Miguel sagged, "Everything points their way, but who else could it be?"

"Can I see your phone, please?" Noah asked.

"Are you kidding me?" Miguel gave him a look.

"I need to show you something... another suspect," Noah elaborated. He thanked the Sheriff when he handed over his phone and googled Elena's funeral, zooming on on Eli's face in the photo.

"What is this?" Miguel asked.

"Eli was in Lakewood last October," Noah said. "During the murders, at the funeral of a victim he didn't even know. Maybe he was there to view his own handiwork. Maybe he knew Piper."

* * *

Athena was in pain, radiating from her back. She was laying on something meant to be a bed, but it wasn't very comfortable. She heard distant gun shots. Then she felt someone's hands on her face and heard Emma's voice, "Athena! Oh, god, please wake up."

She was in and out of consciousness for the most part. She heard Emma and Kieran's voices. And then Eli's. They were arguing. And then there was one more gunshot. That startled her awake.

"What's going on?" she muttered, trying to pull herself up into a seated position.

Emma had rushed to Audrey's side, chained to a radiator, "It's over. I think it's over."

Kieran went to Athena's side, and helped her stand with the support of a bunk bed pole. "How are you feeling?"

"Like I got stabbed," she quipped, earning a chuckle from him. She saw Eli laying on the ground, bleeding. "It really was him?"

Kieran stepped away from her, "Yeah. We're calling the police. You will feel safe again, Emma. You all will."

Emma stopped fawning over her friends and looked at Kieran, something occurring to her, "What did you just say?"

"We're calling the police," he said, holding his gun on a not-dead Eli.

"No. No, not that," she said.

"What?" he asked her, utterly confused.

"Before that... you just said... I will feel safe again?" she spoke slowly, scared. "He said something just like that on the phone."

"What?" he repeated.

"The killer," she stated. "The killer said, 'You will never feel safe again.'" She stared at him for a moment before inhaling sharply, "Oh, my God. Oh, my God, it's you..."

Kieran sobered up, looking down, gun still out and a knife in his other hand.

"No..." Emma whimpered. "No, Kieran. Tell me I'm wrong."

Kieran started shaking and breathing heavily.

"Kieran," Athena stood up with difficulty, holding herself on the bed.

He stopped, looking up at Emma with a grin, "You're not wrong."

Eli had stood up, with a knife, "Emma!"

Without looking, Kieran unloaded three bullets into Eli's chest. "You know... he probably really liked you."

Emma recoiled, "You're a monster," backing up against the bunk bed Athena was in.

Kieran smirked at her, keeping his gun on Audrey and his knife on her. Athena didn't pose much of a threat to him in her state. "And the best part is... you just told me you loved me."

Audrey pulled on her handcuffs and chains but couldn't get free. She stopped cold when he pulled his gun on her.

Emma hoped to distract him, "I did. Not now."

He shrugged, not perturbed, "Oh, okay," and went over to Audrey.

Emma called after him, "Tell me, so you and Piper... you're... what?"

He laughed, "We were together before you and I even met. All it took... was your mother throwing Piper out like  _trash_  and my dad dumping me in Atlanta so he could party on pain pills. It made me and Piper  _sick_  to see them together."

"Okay!" Audrey shouted when he got too close to Emma with his knife. "Okay, so all of this... for you, all of this is all about some messed up daddy issues? Really?"

"You're right," he told her. "I should've definitely seen someone about that. But Piper showed me that killing people is way more fun than therapy." As he went on his villainous monologue, his energetic gestures became more animated – so much so that Athena had trouble keeping up with his movements as her head grew hazier from blood loss from her wound. "So... we made the Sheriff and the medical examiner look like idiots. We tortured them with a killing spree they  _could not stop!_ And the last kills were gonna be my dad, and then you," he pointed the knife at Emma's neck, "and then your mother."

"You were Piper's last surprise," Emma realized.

"Surprise!" he taunted. "Your boyfriend is banging your crazy half-sister, and we're both about to kill you!"

"And then I showed up and shot Piper!" Athena shouted.

Kieran's face fell into a deadly glare, "Yes, you did. You shot my Piper. You know, Athena, we and your dad had all sorts of plans for you."

"My dad?" she asked him, confused by this turn.

He grinned, "Not Till, that useless lump. Alonzo, your  _true_  father. He was like a father to me and Piper. He took us in and showed us what all of this really was about. And we were gonna share it all with you. But then you killed Piper, and all bets were off. I had to torture you." He broke off to laugh, "You know, you were actually supposed to be on the run with these two. But you didn't go to the barn with them. You just love ruining my plans. I worked so hard on them." He turned to Audrey, "And you were Piper's friend. And you betrayed her in the end. So, it's gonna look like you two lured me and Athena here as the last victims, except I turned the tables on you and killed you both. Unfortunately, I was too late to save Athena. She will be missed. And I'll be the new hero."

"No one is gonna believe you, you psychopath!" Emma spat at him.

"That'll be for me to worry about," he said. "You'll be dead."

"I don't think so!" Audrey shouted, kicking the rolling chair she had been set up in so it knocked Kieran away from Emma and Athena. "Run, Emma! Get out of here! Go!"

Emma ran off to the exit and turned to see Athena had fallen into a heap on the floor and Kieran had his gun to Audrey. "Hey! If you let me get away, all of this will have been for nothing!"

It worked well enough to get Kieran to go after her instead. But then he stopped when she disappeared down the hall and doubled back. He unchained Audrey's chains from the radiator and pulled her after him, holding the gun to her head, "Emma, you're not gonna win this! I've got Audrey! You can make her death easy or hard!"

"You know, she's probably already gone!" Audrey shouted at him.

"You already lost, Emma," he taunted.

"Don't give him what he wants!" Audrey shouted. "Get out of here!"

Athena groaned from her position on the floor. Pain nearly paralyzed her. But she couldn't let Kieran hurt her friends. He'd taken so much from them all already. So, she pushed herself up on her forearms and crawled toward Eli's body. He had a large knife, like a sword or something, before. She could use it. She got to him, and she could hear Emma yell, "Looks like you're gonna need her until you find me."

"Stop being stupid, Emma!" Audrey was yelling. "If you go, at least one of us lives!"

With a small cry of pain, Athena managed to push herself up off the ground and walk after them. She made it down the stairs and into a store room of sorts. It was cluttered with shelves of toys and other things left behind at Blessed Sisters. She stared at Kieran's back as he peered through the shelves, "Emma..."

"Kieran!" Athena shouted his name, causing him to turn and look over at her.

He glared, "Why won't you just die already?"

"You first!" she spat at him, blood seeping out of the corner of her mouth.

Audrey suddenly yanked on her chains and Emma pushed a large shelf onto him. But he pulled the trigger of the gun before he went down. Athena gasped in blinding pain, dropping the blade in her hands. She heard Audrey and Emma both gasp her name as she fell to the ground, pressing her hand on the gun wound in her abdomen.

Kieran had recovered enough to stand up and realize Emma had grabbed his gun. "Emma..."

He ducked when she shot at him. She mocked him, "How does it feel to be helpless?" She took another shot and missed, "How does it feel to be hunted?" He held up his knife when she revealed herself, pointing the gun right at him. "Wondering when it's gonna end?"

She had backed him up against a post and Audrey threw her chains around his front. He lifted his hand up in time to block the chain from directly chocking him, but Audrey still held him trapped against the post. Emma stared at Athena's crumpled form on the floor, bleeding out. And she felt white hot rage in her bones, facing Kieran again, "So, how are we gonna end this game?"

"Shoot him," Audrey said. "Shoot him, Emma! He deserves it!"

"Yeah, come on!" he grunted against the chains. "You're a killer. Shoot me! Do it!"

"I get to choose how you're gonna die," she hissed, pressing the gun against his forehead. She held it there for a moment, before abruptly pulling it away, "And you're not. Not today. You're gonna rot in prison... because you lost at your own sick game."

Athena struggled to keep her eyes open when she heard the Sheriff and his Department bust in. Emma easily gave up her gun, but frantically pointed to Athena and fell to her side, "Is there an ambulance? She's been shot and stabbed!"

"Athena!" Miguel gasped, putting his gun away to go to her side.

She was sitting up against a shelf, and weakly smiled at him, "Hey dad. Um, tell Diana, I forgive you two. Okay?"

"You can talk to her later, yourself," he urged.

He and Emma helped her up and were walking her out of the building. Emma kept talking to her, "Stay awake, Athena, okay? You're gonna be okay. You've made it through worse."

"I always knew this would end with me dying, Emma," she whispered. "I accepted it."

"Well, I don't," Emma croaked. "I'm sorry, I don't accept that."

"It's okay, I'm okay with it," Athena told her. She felt cold seeping into her skin. "It doesn't even hurt anymore."

An ambulance was just pulling up, and EMTs immediately grabbed Athena and put her on a stretcher. Emma and Audrey piled into the back with her as it took off. Emma grabbed one of her hands and held it close to her, "Stay with us!"

The EMTs did what they could for her while they were on their way to the hospital. She coughed a little, blood coming out of her lips, and lolled her head to the side to look at Emma, "Emma..."

"Yes?" Emma asked.

But she didn't say anything real, "Audrey..."

"Athena?" Audrey asked.

"Noah... Brooke... Diana... Till... Gustavo... Ian... Lana... Jake... Sam... Elena... Will," she whimpered when she got to his name, "Oh, God, Will."

"I'm sure he's still at the hospital with Brooke and Noah," Emma assured her. "You'll see him soon."

Darkness was started to set into her vision. She could only just see Emma's face. "Tell him I love him. Please, Emma, you have to tell him."

Tears fell from Emma's eyes and she nodded emphatically, "I will, I promise."

"Good," she breathed. "I love you all. It was all worth it."

Emma inhaled sharply when Athena's eyes drifted closed, "Athena? No, no, no! You can't just die on us, not like this!"

* * *

"Athena, wake up!" Emma yelled, following after the team of nurses and doctors as they wheeled Athena through the ER.

She was pushed away by a nurse, "You can't go pass this point. I'm sorry."

"Emma?" she heard Will's voice.

"Will," she whimpered, still crying.

"Audrey!" Noah gasped, racing to hug his friend.

"Noah," Audrey hugged him back.

"Emma, who was that?" Will asked, looking after her. "Was that Athena?"

"Athena?" Stavo chimed in, standing up and walking over to them. "What happened to her?"

Emma whimpered and nodded, "It was Kieran. He was the killer – this whole time. He stabbed her and took her from the theater, then... she tried to save us, and he shot her."

"What?" Will gasped as if in physical pain. He staggered back a step until he ran into Stavo. The other boy put his hand on his shoulder and held him steady. Both were openly crying, but Will also looked furious. "Where the hell is he? I'll kill him."

"He's been arrested," Audrey said. "Let's just focus on Athena right now. She needs us all to stay clear, okay?"

Will felt dizzy, the room spinning around him as he fell into the nurses station and slid against it to the ground, "This can't be happening... she can't die..."

"She won't," Noah bent down in front of him. "I mean, come on, this is Athena we're talking about. If she managed to get back up with a stab wound, a gun shot won't stop her."

Will sobbed into his knees, his shoulders violently shaking as he pictured Athena, pale and dead.

"Will," he heard Emma kneel in front of him. She was crying too. "She wasn't in any pain. She... she uh, said all of our names. And she said she was okay. She wanted me to tell you that she loves you. Before she went to sleep... she said it was all worth it."

Will flinched, hearing his words repeated back to him. He never thought he'd be on the receiving end of them. "She was convinced this would all end with her death. She can't be right, can she?"

Emma shook her head, "No, she's gotta pull through. It's Athena. She comes through for us, it's what she does. She'll do it again."

"I don't know what I'll do if I lose her," he whispered. "She has to come back to me – to all of us."

* * *

"We're losing her!" the nurses shouted, trying to pump air into her mouth and stop the bleeding. They had just fished out the bullet and were just trying to stabilize her. Miguel watched from the window into the OR.

The worst sound in the world was that flat line.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's not over


	16. Waking to You

Athena shuddered when she woke up to the feeling of lips on her collar bone. She opened her eyes and smirked, "Trying to get something started, Mr. Belmont?"

Will smiled innocently as he pecked her lips, "Just waking you up. I smell breakfast downstairs. Everyone must be here already."

"How much longer do you think these group-slash-family breakfasts are going to last?" she asked, groaning into her pillow.

"As long as your mother keeps insisting," he replied, tugging on her arms toward the edge of the bed. "Now, get up. You should look somewhat presentable before you head down there."

She rolled her eyes and replied dramatically, "I guess."

He laughed, tossing her a thermal shirt to throw over her tank top. She caught it and pulled it on, just as he was pulling on some basketball shorts over his boxer shorts. He pulled her over to him and said, very seriously, "I love you so much, Athena."

She smiled, "I love you too."

"Come back to me," he said, still serious.

She frowned, "Huh?"

He smiled easily, "Nothing. Come on. I think your mom made french toast."

She gasped playfully, "Your favorite. Shocker."

He threw his arm around her and tugged her downstairs, both of them hearing chatter in the kitchen. They walked in, seeing Till and Diana first at the counter, cooking. Athena rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and greeted them both with an one-armed hug, "Morning, mom, dad."

They both kissed her head and Will tugged her around the kitchen island counter, where Miguel, Stavo and Brooke were sitting. Athena smiled at Miguel, "Morning dad two."

He smiled and kissed her head, "Good morning, Nanna."

"Morning, sis," Stavo greeted, kissing her cheek.

"Hey Athena," Brooke smiled at her, before taking a bite of Stavo's food.

Will pulled her to sit at the table with Emma, Audrey, Noah, Zoe and Jake. "Morning rest."

"Hear that?" Noah teased. "We're 'rest.'"

"It's early, I'm tired," she whined, sitting between Will and Emma.

"Did you finish the homework for Garb's math class?" Audrey asked, taking some french toast from the serving plate in the middle of the table.

She shrugged, leaning into Will, "Sure thing. It was pretty dull."

"You can say that again," Noah scoffed. "Shouldn't catching two serial killers give us a pass in school, for life?"

Emma laughed, "I don't think it works that way." She suddenly took a shuddering breath and latched her hand onto Athena's, looking at her with a mixture of pain and sadness, "Athena?"

Athena regarded her with wide, surprised, and confused eyes, "Yes, Emma, what is it?"

"You have to wake up, okay?" Emma told her, voice choked up. "You need to come back to us."

"She's right, Athena," Will's voice was all choked up behind her. She turned to face him and saw him crying. "Come on. I love you."

She let out a slight chuckle, but stopped once she didn't get the joke. "Will?" she reached up to wipe his eyes. "Sweetie, calm down. I'm right here. I'm fine."

"Yeah, we can't be the new Lakewood Seven without you," Noah chimed in seriously.

* * *

Athena lay silent and unresponsive in her hospital bed. Her room was filled with flowers and get well balloons. Will sat right by her bedside, clutching her hand. Stavo sat on her opposite side, next to Emma, who was holding her other hand. Brooke, Audrey, and Noah filled in the spaces left around her bed. Noah next to Will, "I mean, it doesn't have quite the same ring as the original Lakewood Eight, but we're all survivors. Some, because of you. Come on, it's been three days since that day..."

* * *

"Don't you think you should wake up so we can scold you for making us worry this long?" Noah asked from across the table, next to Audrey.

Athena gaped at him, "It has been a month, Noah. You know that. What the Hell is wrong with all of you?"

"Hey, Athena," Audrey chimed in, garnering her attention. "We're all here for you..."

* * *

"The doctors said you can hear us," Audrey explained, feeling foolish. "So, here we are. They said talking to you would help. So, Noah took that as we have to talk to you and convince you to wake up on your own."

"Hey, if you just watch a movie..." Noah started to defend himself, but Audrey powered through him.

"The point is..."

* * *

"... that we all love you and really want you to wake up," Audrey sighed softly. "We love you for everything you've done for us, always putting us ahead of your own safety, doing everything you can to protect us, even against a crazed killer. No one deserves less to be in this hospital bed than you."

"Okay, this isn't funny," Athena said, standing up from her seat. She looked around, but everyone was serious and silent while one person was talking at a time. "I am fine. I am awake right in front of you right now. I lived."

"Athena Tyler, Wonder Woman," she heard Brooke drone behind her. She turned to look at the blonde, hands clasped with her half-brother. "You have always been the..."

* * *

"... the strongest of us all," Brooke slowly stroked Athena's shin, since it was in front of her. "You've survived a hell of a lot. Physical torture. Mental torture. You gotta get through this."

Just then a doctor walked in, sadly regarding the teens, "Nothing yet, I presume?"

Emma sighed and shook her head, "Is there anything else we can do? Something we can say?"

The doctor sighed, "I've been discussing Miss Tyler's case with a resident psychologist..."

"You think this is psychological?" Noah asked, interest piqued.

He nodded, "He believes that while she went into the coma to heal her body, it was also to heal her mind. Or cope with the trauma she suffered."

"So, she's not letting herself wake up?" Audrey questioned.

"It's very possible that she believes she can not deal with the trauma she went through, so she's created a place in her mind where everything is fine," he theorized.

"She created a magical place in her mind that she doesn't want to leave," Brooke stated. "How do we get her to want to leave then?"

"Maybe if we let her know that not everything is bad here anymore?" Emma suggested. "That it's all over."

"And possibly remind her of the good things that have come from Lakeview," the doctor suggested. "If she believes that it's not all bad, that it's worth waking up, then she'll try harder."

"Okay," Emma sighed, looking around the group. "Who wants to go first?"

Noah raised his hand, "Oh, me."

"Just talk," Brooke droned.

Noah sobered up, "Oh, okay, then." He licked his lips and thought of a memory, of something for her to look forward to.

* * *

"Remember that time you punched Jake in the face for me?" Noah chuckled.

Athena felt herself giggle at the memory, "Yeah, he deserved it."

"He deserved it," he repeated as if she hadn't said it first. "I so admired you for that. You were such a badass from day one. And you've used that attitude every day since you came here, to beat anyone who tried to beat us. You gotta keep that spark."

He took a breath, "I'm keeping The Morgue operational. So, you won't have to live without my show. I still want you to come on it, by the way. Even Emma has at this point. But I won't push you, or else you'll drop kick me."

* * *

The whole group laughed at the common threat. Noah gulped, "The point is, it's over, Athena. Kieran is gone. Piper is gone. There are no psycho killers left for you to get rid of for us anymore. Your work is done."

He shrugged, looking back at the group, "That's all I got. Who else wants to go?"

"I will," Brooke volunteered, stepping closer to Emma so she could put her hand over theirs. "Hey, Athena... listen up,"

* * *

"Because I did not take you to get your hair done just for you to waste your made-over look laying in bed," Brooke smirked at her from the stool in the kitchen. "Remember getting our nails done? Me harassing you into giving Will a chance. You still haven't thanked me properly for getting you two together."

Athena chuckled, leaning into Will, "Thank you."

Brooke flipped her hair over her shoulder, "Anyway, I will be taking you on a freaking shopping spree when you wake up, so you have that to look forward too. You, me and Emma will all have matching scars. We definitely have to get bikini ready. But you're freaking fit from all that time at the gym, so you're already ahead of me and Emma. We totes need a vacation after all of this shit. All you gotta do is wake up."

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you people that I'm awake and fine," she replied, exasperated.

Brooke frowned, "You're a freaking warrior, Athena. You can't get taken down this easily. You can't go out without a fight. We know you might be scared, you have a lot to face when you wake up. But we promise it's gonna be better. We all survived, and part of that's because of you. So wake up, and I'll throw you a freaking hero's parade."

* * *

"Who's next?" the blonde asked.

Audrey cleared her throat, thinking for some kind of memory to start with.

* * *

"You're always everyone's champion," Audrey told her. "The first time we met, you were standing up for me and Noah. You put up with all our crazy theories. You even believed us. You always believed me when I said Rachel was part of the other killings. You always stood up for me and everyone else. You even stood up to me. That was impressive. You're the first to put herself in the line of fire if it means protecting those you care about. You can't let a person like that slip away like this."

"I'm not," Athena muttered, voice weak.

"When you wake up, I'll get you into free movies," Audrey offered. "I'll even listen to you gush about Will all you want. Though, that's not really your style." She sighed, "Athena... Kieran's gone. So is Piper. The murders, it's all over. It's safe now. I promise."

* * *

Emma nudged Stavo and gestured for him to speak. He wiped under his eyes and cleared his throat, "I know I was really creepy when I first got here. I know I probably still am."

* * *

Athena chuckled, "You got that right."

"But I always meant it when I said you were number one, the most important, to me," he said, swallowing a lump in his throat. "You're my sister. And I always felt connected to you. You never once judged me for the staring, or the drawings. You actually liked them. Remember when I gave you that poster?"

Athena looked down, suddenly seeing the poster in her hands. She still looked beautiful and powerful as the Angel of Death. And that was how he saw her.

"You're just like that to me, all the time," he told her. "An angel, a savior. But you're also my sister, and I want my sister back. I want a relationship with you. The one we could have, as if we'd grown up together. We can have that if you just wake up. Please. I can't lose anyone else. Please wake up."

* * *

Stavo had to stop, he was getting too choked up. He leaned against the wall behind him and wiped his face roughly. Brooke walked over to him and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him close. He wrapped his arms around her neck and rested his chin on her head.

Emma licked her lips and held Athena's hand, "Do you remember that day I came to your room? To tell you that you were one of the only ones I felt I could trust to tell me the truth?"

* * *

"I had just found out those things about Will and the bet, and that Brooke knew, and I just wanted to be close to someone, and there you were," Emma said.

Athena folded her arms in front of her, feeling a swelling in her throat of emotion. Her eyes were tearing up, but she kept them at bay. She nodded.

"And then I kissed you," Emma giggled.

* * *

Emma blushed deeply when everyone suddenly looked over at her in mixture of confusion and shock. She sighed and continued, "I was just confused..."

* * *

"... and overwhelmed with everything going on. And you didn't judge me. You didn't kick me out. You were there for me as my friend, you made me believe that everything would be okay. You've always been so great at getting me to believe that. To believe in myself. I need you to believe in yourself now, okay?"

Athena wiped away the tear that fell from her eye, "I don't understand. What's happening?"

"You were always one of the first people I went to when something happened," Emma continued. "Because I knew you would make it okay, or make me believe that it would somehow turn out okay. You gave me strength to keep fighting, to keep moving on and forward in my life when everything else was knocking me down."

She broke off, taking a shuddering breath, "And... and I am so sorry that I didn't see it was Kieran sooner. You in this hospital bed, in this coma, is because of me. I failed you, when all you ever did was save everyone. I promise, if you wake up, I will find a way to make it up to you."

"Coma?" Athena muttered. "I'm in a coma? How is that possible?"

"Kieran's in jail, Piper's dead, it's over," Emma repeated. "It's all over now. And it's safe for you to wake up. So please, please, wake up."

"Emma..."

* * *

"Emma..."

Everyone gasped when Athena spoke. But nothing in her machines changed. And nothing moved other than her lips. Still, Emma clenched her hand, "It's starting to work. I don't... I don't know what else to say. Will?"

Will was still marveling at the first thing he heard from Athena since she was attacked. He sat down in the chair next to her and scooted as close to her as he could. "Athena? Baby, can you hear me?"

* * *

"It's Will," Will stepped right in front of her face.

"Will..." she struggled to say through her tears.

* * *

"Will..."

Noah tapped Will's shoulder, "Keep going, keep talking. Memories. Good times. Get her to want to wake up."

Will licked his lips, thinking hard. "I know I didn't make a great impression when you first moved here..."

* * *

"I was a total jackass," he chuckled. "But you still saved my life, at the barn. And remember after that, at the hospital, I came to your room. And you told me about Jules, and your parents, and you cried in my chest. Do you remember what I said to you that day?"

"We survive," Athena remembered. "Your favorite mantra."

"We survive," he repeated. "You survive, Athena. It's what you do. You have to wake up from this."

Athena clenched her eyes shut, letting the tears escape, "What if I don't want to? It's so painful."

* * *

"...painful..." she whimpered, face contorting in pain.

Will cringed at the sadness in her voice, "I know, baby. I know it's painful, but you gotta remember the good things. Like... like when we all went out to the restaurant, Brooke kept pushing us together. And I admitted that I liked you for the first time."

* * *

Athena smiled at the memory.

"It was the first time I kissed you," he smiled, cupping her face. "And gave you time to decide for yourself if this was something you wanted. And the next day, you kissed me back. You made me the happiest guy that day, I swear."

She smiled, wanting to kiss him now. Wanting to be with him.

* * *

"She's smiling," Emma gasped. "Keep talking."

Will swallowed, "Remember the carnival, before the speeches. We rode the Ferris wheel and then I won you that Teddy bear..."

* * *

"... which I still think you should name Will."

Athena chuckled, nodding through her tears.

"I remember that being the day I first told you that I loved you," he said. "We were interrupted, but I didn't care if you said it back or not. I just couldn't not tell you. You looked so beautiful and happy, and you told me that I made you happy. I felt like everything that had happened before, all the mistakes I made, were all worth it because it made me the person I had to be, to love you and be loved by you."

* * *

"Of course, eventually you did tell me you loved me," Will continued. The whole group stared between him and Athena, sadly, hoping the girl would wake up for their sakes, and his. "The first happiest day besides the day we first got together. Even though I got knocked out at a rave. You made it worth it. You make all the bad things in the world worth it by loving me."

* * *

"So, I really need you to wake up. Because I don't have anything to make losing you worth it," he pulled her closer. "I miss you so much. I love you so much."

"I don't know if I can," she whispered. "I don't know if I'm strong enough."

"You're the strongest person I know," he said. "I need you to be strong again. Wake up, and I will never leave your side, I will never stop loving you, not even if we fight, or you throw stuff at me, or get me in the head with a high kick. Not even if the whole world is against us. I will face it all with you. I love you. Please wake up."

* * *

Will was running out of things to say, out of ways to beg her to come back to him. He didn't know what he would do if she didn't wake up. "Please, baby, I need you."

"Will..." she whispered again, her head lolling to the side. Her eyes slowly opened, searching blindly until they fell on his face. And she smiled, "Hey, Pretty Boy."

The teens all gasped in relief and huddled closer to her. Will had lurched forward and smashed his lips to hers, cupping her face. He pulled away, tears falling from his eyes, but happy tears, "You scared me so much. I thought you were gone."

"I thought I was gone too," she admitted. "But I heard you. All of you."

One by one her friends leaned in to hug her, all thankful that she was awake. Things were finally looking up. It was all over.

* * *

THREE MONTHS LATER

Noah sat in his cozy little studio – aka his bedroom – and started recording, "Well, it's official. Three months later, and Lakewood has survived another mass murderer. It turns out Piper did have an accomplice. Go figure! I was right all along. But none of us saw this killer coming, and believe me, it cuts deep. After a betrayal like that, can you ever learn to trust again? Maybe the best way to move forward is to put it all behind us, if we can. Brandon James, Piper Shaw, Kieran Wilcox... all wanted revenge, and maybe that's the end of the chain. Maybe this was the last dangling thread. Maybe there are no more to pull. Maybe things really are back to normal. Or maybe, Lakewood, you'll always be Murderville."

* * *

Athena sighed as she pulled on a skater back white lace dress. She checked that all her curls were in tact and her makeup non-smudged. When she heard a knock at her door she called for them to come in and smiled when she saw her boyfriend, "You're early."

Will paused in the doorway, and started backing out, "You're right, I can come back later."

She laughed, launching herself onto him and wrapping her arms around him, "Don't you dare."

He laughed, catching her waist, "I have reservations at your favorite place. You ready to go?"

She nodded, kissing him, "Of course. I love you, Pretty boy."

"I love you too," he kissed her back. "Let's go then."

She grabbed her purse and followed him out to his car, ready for the evening, and ready to move on with life.


End file.
